MEN’S SOCCER

Joao Ratinho’s game-winner with 56 seconds remaining was the perfect way to wrap up Senior Night under the lights at King Stadium. For the second time this season, the #RV Huntington men’s soccer team took down a Top 10 team with their latest victim No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan (13-2-1, 5-2-1), who they sent home with a 2-1 loss Saturday night.

The Foresters’ first big win, a 3-2 decision on the road, was against Bethel, ranked 3rd at the time, back on September 28.

Ratinho’s late-game heroics only tell half the story as the senior forward also scored HU’s first goal late in the opening half. After outplaying an IWU defender for a ball in the box, the crafty Portugues native blistered a shot into the far post corner to send his team into intermission up 1-0.

A chance to regroup at halftime seemed to serve the Wildcats well as their equalizer came at the foot of Brandon Nyagurungo seven minutes into the second period. The visitors put pressure on Huntington’s defense all night, but it was the only time they cracked the code as Dan Pellegrine and his backline stood the test of time.

Pellegrine finished with nine saves to earn his keep in goal. IWU peppered 17 shots to HU’s five. Corner kicks were also lopsided in favor of the guests 17-4. When all was said and done, HU managed just two shots on goal, but it was all they needed with Ratinho making good on both. He has nine goals this season, 30 for his career.

Huntington has dominated this series as of late with tonight’s win their third straight over Wesleyan. The last ten times these two squads have squared off, HU has posted seven wins while registering three ties against IWU.

With one regular season game remaining, Potter and crew are tied for first in the CL standings with #RV Grace. The Foresters (12-4-1, 6-2) hit the road for Indianapolis on Wednesday to take on #RV Marian at 7:00 p.m.