Marquette University’s men’s soccer team delivered a thrilling comeback Saturday afternoon at Valley Fields, overcoming a one‑goal deficit twice and finishing the match with ten players to secure a 3-2 win over Southern Indiana.
Early setback and a brief illness
USI opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a free header from a corner. The Golden Eagles appeared to have the momentum, and Marquette’s top scorer, freshman Tomiwa Adewumi, left the field in the first half after battling an illness. Despite his absence, Marquette controlled possession, generated five first‑half corner kicks and held a 5‑2 shot advantage, yet they trailed at halftime.
Adewumi returns and sparks a comeback
With just over 30 minutes left, Adewumi re‑entered the match. The team’s tempo increased, and in the 69th minute he equalized, beating the USI keeper on a 50‑50 ball from a long pass by Aiden Goldberg. Adewumi cut back on the end line and fired a low shot past the defender on the goal line.
Four minutes later, USI’s Gabe Watkins received a red card, reducing the Golden Eagles to ten men. Southern Indiana took advantage, scoring in the 80th minute to lead 2‑1.
Hat‑trick heroics seal the win
Marquette responded quickly. In the 85th minute, Adewumi pounced on a loose ball after an Antonio Costabile shot was blocked, slipped past two defenders and slotted a left‑footed strike inside the left post to tie the game.
Two minutes later, a foul on Joey Buchanan set up a free kick. Fifth‑year leader Mateo Stoka delivered the ball to Adewumi, who calmly converted the penalty, giving Marquette a 3‑2 lead with under four minutes remaining. The freshman’s hat trick – three goals in the final 22 minutes – capped the comeback.
Statistical highlights
Marquette outshot Southern Indiana 17‑7, held a clear advantage in shots on goal (9‑2) and corner kicks (10‑5). The Golden Eagles generated 12 of their 17 attempts after halftime, continuously pressuring the USI back line.
Looking ahead
The victory provides momentum as Marquette prepares to open BIG EAST play on September 18 at No. 4 Georgetown. Fans praised the team’s resilience and the standout performance of Adewumi, who has quickly become a key figure for the Golden Eagles.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
