Just like that, the season is likely over for Wright State’s men’s soccer team, as the Raiders fell Horizon League Championship game 1-0 against Oakland.
A win Saturday night would’ve given the Raiders an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. Instead, the Raiders will head home from Chicago, reminiscing on what should have been.
The Raiders were considered a long shot from the beginning of the tournament, earning the No. 6 seed after a 4-4-1 Horizon League record, but wins at Northern Kentucky and No. 1 seed UIC set up an unlikely rematch.
The rematch turned to Deja vu, unfortunately.
Wright State (12-8-1) led Oakland nine shots to six, but only one of those shots were on goal. Oakland had an equally difficult time finding shots on goal, but a free kick by Oakland’s Matt Dudley from 25 yards out—16 minutes into the second half—turned out to be the deciding factor in match.
Last season, Wright State succumbed to a similar fate, losing in the Championship Game to Oakland 2-1. Oakland also beat Wright State at home, Nov. 6, in the regular season finale.
