Bronze Heartbreak for Men’s Soccer

It was a cool fall day when the Lakeland Rustlers men's soccer team hosted the Red Deer Kings.  Both teams were entering the bronze medal games after losing in their division final games the week previous.  For almost 75% of the Rustler athletes, this year was their first year of ACAC competition, and the entire team worked hard throughout the season to earn a spot in a medal game.

In the first half of the game, Red Deer opened the scoring on a header that got past the Rustler keeper.  Late in the second half, the Rustlers scored a goal on a drive off of the foot of Hani Tekheste that went off the crossbar and in to tie the game.  In the last 10 minutes of the game, second-year Rustler Giordano Ciccacci drove one by the King's keeper to put the Rustlers up 2–1.  The Kings continued to pressure the Rustlers in the final minutes of the game and right before extra time expired Red Deer put the ball into the back of the Rustlers' goal to tie the game and send it to penalty kicks.

After 5 players from each team took their turn from the penalty mark, Red Deer walked away the victor scoring on all 5 penalty attempts while Lakeland scored on 4.  Fifth-year keeper for the Rustlers, Zach Wagner, was named player of the game for Lakeland.

Although the Rustlers did not finish the season with an ACAC medal the team, comprised predominantly of freshmen, played with heart during the entire season.  If many of the student-athletes return for the 2022 season the future is looking extremely bright for Rustlers men's soccer program.