Mustangs close out home schedule with overtime loss

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- After 94 minutes of scoreless soccer, a backward, over-the-head goal by Jordan Alonge of Baker (Kan.) gave the 20th-ranked Wildcats a 1-0 victory over Mount Mercy in a Heart of America Athletic Conference home finale on Saturday at the Robert W. Plaster Athletic Complex.

Neither squad could cash in their scoring opportunities, especially the Wildcats. They put eight shots on-frame compared to two by the Mustangs, but Mount Mercy almost clinched the win in the 93rd minute when Duarte Leite (SO/Santarem, Portugal)'s header off a Kevin Kastl (SR/Schwabach, Germany) free kick rattled off the post. Less than two minutes later, it was Alonge who took a deflected ball and kicked it backward, up and over goalkeeper Dane Lee (SR/Clarendon, Jamaica), who tried to grab Jordan Lake's free kick from 40 yards out.

The golden goal overshadowed a terrific game by Lee, who finished with seven saves. While Baker moved to 9-5-3 overall and 6-3-1 in the Heart, Mount Mercy fell to 7-7-2 and 4-5-1 in conference play. The Mustangs, who have already clinched a spot in the Heart postseason tournament, conclude the regular season at 23rd-ranked Grand View (11-4-0, 8-2-0 Heart) on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Cownie Complex in Des Moines.