Sophomore Andy Cohen scored the first goal for the Tigers.
GREENCASTLE, IND. - The DePauw men's soccer team advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional with a 4-0 win over visiting Webster University.
The Tigers, 15-3 and ranked 15th in the latest Division III poll by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, travel to Ohio Wesleyan for a rematch with number-one ranked and 21-0 Battling Bishops. The regional semifinal game starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 11. Ohio Wesleyan beat the Tigers in Greencastle by a 5-2 score on September 16.
The Tigers and Gorloks (12-7-2) fought through a physical, scoreless first half that included 22 fouls between the two teams. DePauw outshot Webster 16-7 throughout the first 45 minutes.
"We knew it would be a physical game and we prepared our players for that," DePauw head coach Page Cotton said.
Sophomore Andy Cohen gave DePauw all it would need with his 13th goal of the season in the 59th minute off of an assist from freshman Bryce Skeeters. Just five minutes later, sophomore Marc Pfleging scored his first goal of the season with an assist from sophomore Richie Schreiner.
"It was frustrating in the first half.," Cohen said. "We had plenty of shots, plenty of chances and we didn't convert them. Once we got that second one in from there we started rolling."
Seniors Ryan Winkler (facing) and Corbin Sutton scored the Tigers' final two goals.
Senior Corbin Sutton made it 3-0 in the 75th minute on Skeeters' second assist and senior Ryan Winkler closed out the scoring with and assist from senior Brendan Landry.
Cotton acknowledged the seniors in the winning effort.
"All five of our seniors responded to the challenge," he said. "They were sophomores when we were in the tournament two years ago in a game where we played well enough to win. These guys understood what they needed to do to make sure that didn't happen."
The win was the Tigers' first in their eight appearances in NCAA postseason play and the first for Cotton who has won over 300 games in his 32 years at DePauw.
"I was beginning to think it wasn't in my career," Cotton said. "Today the team really played well and answered the challenge. It was a great 90-minute effort."
The Tigers outshot Webster 33-11 and held a 13-2 advantage in corners. Junior Brian Missey and freshman Wes Molynezux shared DePauw's ninth shutout in goal. Missey recorded four saves, while Molyneaux had one. Jason Brown totaled eight saves for Webster.
