Geoff Smith scores game winning goal in 74th minute to lead MSoccer to 2-1 victory over Redlands (Calif.)

Geoff Smith

By Steven Wright

| Box Score |

REDLANDS, Calif. -  Senior Geoff Smith took a pass from fellow senior Ryan Smith and headed the ball into the goal at the 73:55 mark to put the Ohio Northern men's soccer team up 2-1 over Redlands (Calif.) and give the Polar Bears the victory Saturday evening.

Northern improves to 2-0 on the young season, and Redlands falls to 1-3.

The late game heroics accounted for the first goal of the season for Geoff Smith and first assist of the season for Ryan Smith.

Ohio Northern was able to strike first against the home team, as junior Dan Schade connected on a direct kick at the 17:31 mark for his first goal of the year.

Redlands wasted little time in tying the game when Ross Schunk scored his third goal of the year from the top of the box at the 25:10 mark of the first half.

The game remained tied for almost the next 50 minutes before Geoff Smith connected on the game winner.

The Bulldogs significantly outshot the Polar Bears by a margin of 29-13, but 2006 Ohio Athletic Conference Goalkeeper of the Year Aaron Collins was on top of his game, allowing only the one goal and making seven saves to pick up the victory.

ONU will be in action again on the west coast on Sunday at 7 pm (EDT) against California Lutheran.