NORFOLK, VA—ODU senior forward Tim Hopkinson’s (Nottingham, England) goal three minutes into the first overtime lifted the Monarchs (6-3-1/3-1)to a 3-2 overtime win over 10th ranked UAB (8-2-1/2-1-1) in a Conference USA match on a damp and misty Saturday night at ODU.
The win gives the Monarchs a 2-1-1 record against nationally ranked teams (wins over UAB & Tulsa, a loss to Creighton and tie at Maryland) thus far this season and it was Hopkinson’s second straight OT Golden Goal game winner, as he hit the game winner at Charlotte Wednesday night.
The loss ended the Blazers five-game winning streak and three goals are the most they have allowed this season. ODU is now 6-0 all-time against the Blazers.
“It was unbelievable,” said ODU head coach Alan Dawson. “They went up on us twice, but we hung in there, and we were very courageous tonight. We talked at halftime about having the courage to win and we never forgot that all the way to the 89th minute. I felt we had the momentum going into overtime based on that game tying goal. Our guys were not happy about losing at home and desperately wanted to win tonight. It’s been a great week for us, first winning at Charlotte and then tonight. “
UAB, the nation’s second ranked scoring team at 2.7 goals per game scored 30 seconds into the match on a goal by Freddy Ruis, his C-USA leading ninth of the year. ODU tied the match seven minutes left in the half on a goal by Gideon Asante (Sunyani, Ghana) from an assist by freshman Nicholas Hutchinson (Allentown, PA.).
Five minutes later, the Blazers came right back as Patrick Huang put UAB ahead just before the half from about 30 yards out off a free kick for a 2-1 halftime lead.
In the second half, with 1:50 left sophomore Ryan Condotta (Keller, TX.)hit the post and Michael Nelson (Austin, TX.) gathered the ball and shot it pass the goalkeeper to tie the match and send it to overtime.
In the OT, Hopkinson got a pass from Nelson and headed it in for the game winner as he did a few days earlier at Charlotte. ODU outshot the Blazers, 20-11 as senior Sean Stowe (Midlothian, VA.)came up with five saves as did UAB’s Raphael Ville.
Hopkinson now has four game winning goals this season, and has tallied eight goals with two assists for 18 total points. The Monarchs are 2-2-1 in overtime thus far this season.
ODU returns to action next Saturday in Miami at FIU.
UAB 2-0-0=2
ODU 1-1-1=3
0:31 UAB Freddy Ruiz from Dieo Navarrete
38:13 ODU Gideon Asante from Nicholas Hutchinson
43:30 UAB Patrick Huang
88:50 ODU Michael Nelson from Ryan Condotta
93:08 ODU Tim Hopkinson from Michael Nelson
Shots: ODU (20), UAB (11)
SOG: ODU (8), UAB (7)
Corners: ODU (8), UAB (2)
Saves: ODU- Sean Stowe (5), UAB- Raphael (5)