The Purple Aces wrap up non-conference play with the 2-2 draw
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Evansville men’s soccer team earned a point in Louisville for the first time in 33 years in a 2-2 tie on Wednesday night.
It was an even match across the pitch between the Purple Aces and the Cardinals at Lynn Stadium on Wednesday. Along with the matching score of 2-2, both teams attempted 13 shots through 90 minutes. Two UE players scored their second goals of the season in the draw with redshirt freshman midfielder Jacopo Fedrizzi (Guilia, Spain) scoring in the 45th minute and fifth-year forward Kai Phillip (Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago) scoring in the 63rd minute.
“I thought we played really well,” said Head Coach Robbe Tarver following the match. “Besides the first 10 minutes of the second half I felt like we had a lot of the run of play, a lot of chances, a lot of moments. We defended really well and we were organized.
“It’s a little unfortunate to give up the equalizer in the last two minutes on a VAR handball. That’s the pleasure of coming to the ACC and places where they have VAR. But it was a handball. So that’s the game sometimes where you play really well and you probably deserve a win but it doesn’t happen. Really happy with how we played. Weirdly, we’re sad about a 2-2 tie at an ACC school like Louisville. That’s a great program. So, it’s a weird one.”
The Purple Aces started the match off hot with back-to-back shots in the first four minutes. While the Cardinals got a shot shortly after, it was all UE through the half. Play in the first 30 minutes stayed in the offensive zone for Evansville where the Aces added four more shots including a close chance for senior midfielder Jose Vivas (Teruel, Spain).
But it wasn’t until the final seconds of the first half that UE broke through on offense. Sophomore winger Auden Engen Vik (Trondheim, Norway) beat out a Louisville defender on the right side of the penalty area and crossed to Fedrizzi at the six. Fedrizzi then followed through with his right leg to send the ball past the Cardinals goalkeeper into the right side of the net for his second goal of 2024.
It was a slow start to the second half for Evansville and led to Louisville tying up the match in the 51st minute. The score wouldn’t stay tied for long as the Aces retook the lead in the 63rd minute off a solo goal from Phillip. Phillip came charging into the offensive zone, knocking his defender off the ball at the top of the penalty area. He then brought the ball into the nine for a shot into the bottom right corner of the net to make it a 2-1 match.
Both teams fought in the neutral zone over the next 10 minutes until UE found a shot in the 72nd and 76th minutes. But the tides turned in the final 10 minutes of the match as the Cardinals began to spend more time in Evansville’s defensive zone. The Aces’ last shot came in the 87th minute as senior forward Edward Mendy (Overland Park, Kan. / West Blue Valley HS) tried to score for the third game in a row. But the shot sailed just high over the crossbar to keep it a 2-1 match.
Only two minutes later Louisville got a break from UE’s defensive pressure as VAR review gave the Cardinals a penalty kick off a handball. Freshman goalkeeper Michal Mroz (Elk Grove, Ill. / Elk Grove HS) leapt up to get his hand on the ball. But the ball’s momentum kept it going just over his fingers to find its way into the very top of the goal for the 2-2 draw.
Fedrizzi and Vivas led Evansville on offense with three shots each with both players putting one on goal. Senior forward Nacho Diaz Barragan (Almeria, Spain) also had multiple shots on Wednesday with two through 72 minutes of play. On the defensive end of the ball Mroz made three saves through 90 minutes of action.
The Aces return to Missouri Valley Conference action over the weekend. UE travels to Dekalb, Illinois for the first time in program history to take on the Northern Illinois Huskies. Kick-off from NIU is set for 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 19th.
