Council Bluffs, IA—With overtime looming, the Marshalltown Community College men's soccer team was whistled for a handball in the box, resulting in a penalty kick that lifted the Iowa Western Community College Reivers to a 1-0 Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) victory over the Tigers. The loss is the second 1-0 defeat to the Reivers this year for MCC.
The Tigers held the No. 4 team in the country scoreless for 82 minutes, but a deflected shot struck the hand of MCC defender Agustin Ortiz (Marshalltown, IA/Marsahlltown) inside the Tiger box. Though unintentional, the Reivers were still awarded a penalty kick shot for a chance to take the late lead.
Reiver sophomore Nick Melville fired a high shot on net that just missed the outstretched arms of MCC keeper Kwan Tolbert (Conway, AR/Conway). The penalty kick goal was the lone blemish on the day for Tolbert, who stopped two quality chances for the Reivers early on.
The Tigers remain in second place in the conference standings at 5-2-0. The Reivers sit atop the league with a 6-0-1 mark. Iowa Lakes is currently third, just a half game behind the Tigers at 4-2-1.
The Tigers had momentum early on, pressing the Reiver backline on multiple occasions. Iowa Western managed to slip past the MCC defense for an early look, but Tolbert denied a one-on-one to preserve the scoreless match in the first half.
Celes Vilar (Las Palmas, Spain/San Antonio Maria-Claret) had his own look on goal in the opening minutes. The sophomore midfielder dribbled to the end line and found an opening, only to be stopped by Reiver keeper Mark Richwine.
The backline of MCC, Daniel Barrera (Naples, FL/Lely), Jordan Gilmore (Portadown, UK/Craigavon), Omar Ramos (Des Moines, IA/East), and Ortiz kept the opposition out of the MCC zone for a majority of the match, playing as a resilient wall.
The Reivers' goal came in the 83rd minute, and Iowa Western was able to limit the Tigers to a look on net in the closing minutes to maintain the lead and take the conference victory.
Five of the last six matches between the two sides have resulted in one-goal games, with the Reivers winning four times.
MCC returns home to face Indian Hills Community College at 4:00 PM on Oct. 7 for an ICCAC contest.
