DES MOINES, Iowa – Gerit Wintermeyer of Bradley scored a golden goal in the 99^th minute in a 1-0 defeat for the Drake University men's soccer team Saturday night in Missouri Valley Conference play at the Cownie Soccer Complex.
 
Drake (6-5-2, 1-2-1 MVC) and Bradley (7-4-3, 1-4-0 MVC) combined for 31 shots (20-11) with the Braves taking nine on goal to eight for the Bulldogs. Drake had a 12-1 advantage in the first half, but Bradley outshot the Bulldogs 10-8 the rest of the match.
 
Wintermeyer's game-winner came off a cross by teammate Austin Bell, who sent a cross from the left side into the box that Wintermeyer jumped and flicked into the upper left corner past Drake goalkeeper, Jared Brown (Aurora, Ontario).
 
"Tonight, is a gut-wrenching result," said Drake head coach Gareth Smith. "Our performance for the majority of the game was excellent and we deserved more from the game. The game plan was clear and resulted in us dominating big for the first half and portions of the second half. We created over 20 attempts on goal and that is more than enough to win the game. However, when you don't covert your chances into goals you always leave the door open for that one chance for the opponent to hurt you and that is what Bradley did tonight. Credit to Bradley in that they hung in there and weathered the storm for like long periods and punished us on a final action in the box. Our attackers need to be more clinical and ruthless in front of goal in order to prevent a result like this from taking place."
 
Redshirt junior Alex Peterson (Duluth, Minn.) and redshirt senior Steven Enna (Overland Park, Kan.) had the two best scoring chances for Drake. Peterson headed a ball late in the first half that drilled the crossbar but was cleared while Enna had a nifty spinning shot from inside the Braves' box late in the second period, but the shot was saved by Bradley's goalkeeper, Albert Reinwart. Sophomore Ryan Johnston (West Des Moines, Iowa) had the Bulldogs' last scoring chance in the 88^th minute, but Reinwart saved it as well. Brown and Reinwart each made eight saves.
 
Drake hosts Missouri State Oct. 27 in the team's final home game of the season. First kick is 7 p.m. and the Bulldogs' Senior Night ceremony will be held prior to the game with the Bears.