CANYON, Texas -- It was nearly an hour into the Lone Star Conference 2022 Men's Soccer Championship quarterfinal match before Midwestern State came to life at The Pitch. Trailing 2-0,
Adam Robinson scored the first of three MSU goals in a span of four minutes and 21 seconds as the Mustangs rallied to defeat West Texas A&M, 3-2, and advance to the semifinals.
With the victory, Midwestern State is making a trip to San Antonio for a semifinal match on Friday with No. 2-seeded Dallas Baptist at Sigma Beta Chi Field on the campus of top-seeded St. Mary's. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
After conceding two goals in the opening 18 minutes and 12 seconds, MSU's season was on the brink.
Nearly 15 minutes into the second half, Giancarlo Saldana pushed down
Brandon Martinez-Trelles, giving Midwestern State a free kick from 25 yards out on the right wing. Robinson, a senior defenseman that won a national championship at Charleston (W. Va.) before transferring to Midwestern State, drove the ball directly into the far-side netting with a left-footed shot. Robinson's first goal of the season ignited the comeback.
Less than 30 seconds after the initial goal, the Mustangs scored on a counter attack to tie the game.
Juan Galindo sent a ball over the top that bounced on the turf field just outside the penalty box.
Sulahmana Bah followed the ball into the area on the right side while being marked by Arturo Barrera. Bah struck a half volley that caught goalkeeper Asaf Kristal out of position and the ball settled in the lower back left corner of the net.
Galindo earned his second assist, and Bah's third goal of the year was one of the biggest of the campaign.
Three minutes and 54 seconds later, Midwestern State stunned the partisan crowd in Canyon.
Midwestern State had a beautiful build up to the attacking third when Bah was fouled by Denis Herrera. The always dangerous
Mere Escobar delivered the free kick from 40 yards away. The perfectly struck ball found Tritian Adams cutting in front of the goal from the left side, and the junior defender scored with a lunging header. Kristal was caught flat footed and looked to his right as the eventual game-winner went into the lower corner of the goal.
Escobar has six assists, and Adams has three goals for MSU this season.
Anthony Perea and Kenny Brown scored the early goals for West Texas A&M, but the Buffaloes were unable to rally in the final 26 minutes.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Adam Braman faced eight shots and made six saves in the victory. Kristal finished with four saves in defeat.
The two teams combined to commit 31 fouls. Midwestern State was called for nine fouls in the first half and eight in the second half. The Buffaloes committed seven fouls in each half.
Dereck Espinal,
Nathan Toledo, Robinson and Martinez-Trelles were all issued yellow cards for the Mustangs. Herrera and Bryan Martinez were carded for West Texas A&M.
Midwestern State improved to 1-1-1 in its three meetings with the Buffaloes this season and ended a five-match winless streak in the series.
The Mustangs are 21-0-2 all-time against Dallas Baptist and defeated the Patriots at Stang Park earlier this season, 2-1.
The winner of the Midwestern State/DBU match faces the Oklahoma Christian/St. Mary's winner in the championship match on Sunday.
--MSU Mustangs.com--
