GLIAC Men's Championship: SVSU, Davenport Roll Into Finals Off Shutouts
GLIAC Men's Championship: SVSU, Davenport Roll Into Finals Off Shutouts
Undefeated Saginaw Valley puts its championship aspirations and unblemished mark on the line against Davenport in the GLIAC title tilt.
Undefeated and a win away from the NCAA Tournament, Saginaw Valley State rolls into the 2022 GLIAC Championship looking to avoid upset against a hungry Davenport side.
Davenport advanced to the Nov. 6 title round with a 3-0 rout of No. 15-ranked Wisconsin-Parkside. It was the Eoin Broughan show, as the Irish midfielder fired six shots, three on goal, and found the back of the net twice.
The offensive flurry was a career-best for the 1st Team All-GLIAC honoree, and the two goals marked his first for the Panthers since Sept. 18.
Coupled with goalkeeper Shane Marinkovich's clean sheet — his second in Davenport's last three games — the Panthers cruised to their third straight win.
Davenport is peaking at the right time, having come into this closing stretch winless since an Oct. 7 victory over Upper Iowa. The Panthers now face their biggest test with undefeated SVSU.
The Cardinals scored their fifth consecutive win with a 2-0 semifinal defeat of Purdue Northwest, Elliot Nottoli's goal 66 seconds into the match setting the tone. Anthony Waller added another in the 18th minute, and that was more than enough for the Saginaw Valley defense to overwhelm Purdue Northwest.
The Cardinals allowed not a single shot on goal, and remained firm at just 17 goals allowed all season. The shutout marked SVSU's second in the last three games — the previous came Oct. 21 against the same Davenport bunch the Cardinals face for the GLIAC title.
Saginaw Valley won 2-0 in that encounter when Jonathan Monney and Cody Miller each scored second-half goals, and goalkeeper Nick Kay was perfect with four saves.
Monney has been excellent for the Cardinals, coming in with a team-high 34 points and whopping 15 goals. Monney's almost matched the combined scoring efforts of SVSU opponents, a testament to the Cardinals' all-around strength.