<P><B>Sept. 20, 2007</B>
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<b>INDIANAPOLIS</b> - Head Coach <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/currier_dennis00.html" >Dennis Currier</a> says he's been noticing a few people jumping on the Dayton Flyers bandwagon during his morning trips to Panera Bread for a tea.
<P>After junior <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/olwig_joe00.html" >Joe Olwig</a> scored the game-winning goal with 1:50 remaining in regulation that gave the Flyers a 3-2 victory over the Butler Bulldogs, UD might need to add a September sidecar.
<P>"It was just about grit," said Currier. "Our guys showed a real high level of character tonight. Butler is a great team and they are a high scoring team. We proved tonight we could score goals and play under adverse conditions. To comeback against a team like this shows a lot of character from our guys."
<P>Junior <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/decamps_florian00.html" >Florian DeCamps</a> and sophomore <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/torda_alex00.html" >Alex Torda</a> each tallied goals for the Flyers as UD won its first game this season on the road and improves to 4-1-1 overall.
<P>After trailing by a goal at two different points of the game, UD had to have the offense step up in a big way. The three goals scored against Butler was the first time all season Dayton tallied more than two goals.
<P>"We had to be determined because Butler is a strong team," sophomore defender <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/handbury_ryan00.html" >Ryan Handbury</a> said. "Defensively, we knew we had to be solid. We conceded some goals, but they were sloppy goals. The attack came out well for us today. We've defended all year and we did make some mistakes and the attack helped us out."
<P>The offensive outburst was long overdue for Dayton. With the Flyers not having a consistent go-to goal scorer, UD has had to rely on being more creative in the offensive end and having different players step up in clutch situations.
<P>"I think we started to combine with our forwards a lot better," said Olwig. "They kept challenging the defenders, going wider and were much more dynamic going toward the goal."
<P>In an evenly matched first half with both teams tallying four shots apiece, Butler got on the board first with a goal in the first 12 minutes of the game. Off a long throw in, the Bulldogs got a header past senior <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/gibbens_zac00.html" >Zac Gibbens</a> to go up 1-0.
<P>Dayton answered when DeCamps headed the ball in on the right side off the goalkeeper's rebound to tie the contest at 1-1. Sophomore <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/murray_ben00.html" >Ben Murray</a> got the assist with a header shot from the corner that skimmed past the goalkeeper and onto DeCamps.
<P>DeCamps continued the Flyers' balanced scoring attack this season becoming the seventh different UD player to tally a marker this season.
<P>But less than eight minutes into the second half, Butler got back on the board again with a shot from inside 10 yards to go up 2-1. It was only the second time this season the Flyers have let up two goals in a game and the first time in regulation. The Bulldogs almost connected on another goal two minutes later, but an offside call negated the marker.
<P>That opened the door for the Flyers' second goal when senior <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/imbrogno_tyler00.html" >Tyler Imbrogno</a> broke free on the left side and centered the ball to Torda. For Torda it was his team-leading third goal of the season and also a single season high.
<P>"Torda's goal was about Tyler creating it," Currier said. "Tyler had a great run down the line and put it a dangerous service across. Torda handled it well with great composure and finished that one. That was a big goal that got us back in the game."
<P>With about two minutes left in regulation, sophomore <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/renner_sonny00.html" >Sonny Renner</a> set up a give-and-go play to sophomore <A HREF="http://www.fansonly.com/schools/dayt/sports/m-soccer/mtt/popella_jeff00.html" >Jeff Popella</a>. Popella found Olwig open on the left side for his second goal and game-winner of the season.
<P>"We were working our butt off in the second half," Olwig said. "Chance after chance in the second half we couldn't get the ball in and getting the goal with under two minutes left was unbelievable."
<P>Gibbens made one save and picked up his fourth win in net. The Flyers out shot Butler 16-7 in the game.
<P>Now the Flyers look to continue the momentum built up from two strong victories when UD returns to action on Sunday with another road contest against the Belmont Bruins at 3 p.m. ET.
<P>"These last two games have been important for us," said Currier. "Last game we were a man down, this game we were a goal down to a good team twice in the match and we came back and we were able to get three goals tonight. Both of these wins have taught us a lot and given us a lot of confidence." |
