When your team is 0-3-1 and suffering from a 10-2 scoring disadvantage along the way, sometimes the best medicine is going home. The Flyers had to wait longer than most to open up the home schedule, but it seemed to be exactly what the doctor ordered as UD hung on for a 2-1 overtime victory over cross-town rival Wright State on Friday evening before a Baujan Field record crowd of 1,865 fans. Dayton improves to 1-3-1 while the Raiders, suffering a drought of sorts against the Flyers in recent years, falls to 2-3.

Nevermind for a moment that Friday’s soccer was quite mediocre. In fact, the first half was little more than the kick-and-run more common in U12 summer matches. Let’s even forget the game-tying goal UD allowed in the final 90 seconds of regulation. The fact that Dayton found a way to earn their first victory of the year is significant enough to forget the poor tactics, shaky teamwork, and questionable effort at times — at least for a few more sentences. The Flyers could not afford to drop to 0-4-1. Another loss would all but end UD’s chance for an NCAA at-large berth before the team even had a chance. For now however, life goes on, and the boot of senior Tye Stebbins is to thank as the midfielder tallied both the late second half score and the overtime game-winner to breathe life back into a program still awaiting the return of Chris Rolfe. Just getting a win is mission accomplished. Now, other steps can come.

The game was anything but ordinary. Chopper-7 delivered the game ball before the match to start the hocus pocus. It got more spooky. Fans knew something was up when sweeper Dasan Robinson lined up at striker to start the match — eerily similar to former defender Mike Nsien who bided time up front when the offense ran dry. While we’re not convinced it’s a permanent fix, we’re certain the coaches are trying everything to generate scoring chances and that alone is worth tinkering with things. The lineup shuffling continued as redshirt frosh Devin McKenney and Richie Campbell started in the back line while junior stopper Nate Darr moved up to the midfield.

By and large the play in the first half was enough to send the Grim Reaper in hiding. We’ll stop right there with the haunting metaphors, but the technical quality of soccer in the first 45 minutes was almost exclusively kick-and-run. For that to happen one of two things occurred. Either the defense had no patience and sent 50yd moon balls from the back line to the forwards with no inclination to work the ball through the midfield. Or the midfield had sand in their shoes and made little attempt to show a presence to the back line and ultimately work the ball with deft combo passes through the middle third. In truth, it was probably a little of both. Nonetheless, the Flyers had trouble generating any type of push into the Raider defensive third of the field — the kind of push that generates quality scoring opportunities. Long balls are just that. Long shots. Usually a Flyer staple of carving up teams through the middle third of the field, it never materialized.

Thankfully, Wright State assumed the same game plan and played their own version of the kick-and-run. So while UD couldn’t develop quality chances, they weren’t in dire straits because WSU assumed the least common denominator as well. In some cases, ragged offenses are the result of stingy defenses that are on top of their game. That wasn’t the case however.

All of this being said, each team had a pair of excellent scoring chances in the first 45 minutes. Both goalkeepers came up with superb saves however to keep the game scoreless. While Head Coach Dave Schureck tinkered with Dasan Robinson at striker, he also elected to sit senior goalkeeper Steve Ladislaw in favor of freshman Matt Troop — reason we are not privy to. Troop had a couple fine saves and by most accounts played well in the box all evening. It will be interesting to see how the coaches and players handle the battle for the starting job in future matches.

The second half started with something said in the Flyer halftime huddle that seemed to echo our first half recap. Dayton did a much better job of working the ball on the ground. While long balls were still there — and there’s nothing wrong with a well-timed and well-directed long ball — the second half emphasis was obvious. Work the ball through the midfielders and attack between defenders rather than over the top.

As a result, the level of play improved quite a bit. What ended up a fairly even first half swayed in favor of the Flyers in the final 45 minutes. But neither side dominated for more than a few moments. Consecutive passes were few and far between actually. But Dayton found their legs and dispossessed Wright State on several occasions and turned them into offensive counters. Overall the Raiders were the team trying to keep up.

All things pointed to overtime as neither side came close to scoring. That is until senior Tye Stebbins found paydirt in the 82nd minute off a great feed from Dasan Robinson. Stebbins beat the Raider goalkeeper to the far post with a well-placed ball from 15yds out after slipping past defenders from Robinson’s feed. One goal seemed like it would be enough in a pinball match that had little ebb and flow. But Wright State forced overtime just 90 seconds before the end of regulation when Tony Labudovski redirected a corner kick at the far post that beat Troop and found the net for the equalizer. For a team desperately looking for that first victory of the year, it wasn’t going to come easy.

Tye Stebbins answered the call for a second time in the match just before the end of the first sudden death overtime when he pounced on a Nate Darr shot that deflected to his feet. Stebbins tucked it away in the 100th minute from right in front of the goal mouth to ultimately stick a fork in things. And so Wright State’s recent misery against the Dayton Flyers continues.

Friday night was supposed to be the return of senior striker Chris Rolfe, but it never happened and now fans are wondering if the opportunity will come on Sunday against Evansville. The Purple Aces dropped 2-1 match to DePaul in the Friday evening opener of the Dayton Marriott Classic. If Rolfe doesn’t show in the near future, one has to ask if a medical redshirt is a possibility. While the Flyers showed they can get it done without Rolfe on Friday, it’s a much easier task with him in the lineup, especially for a program having a hard time finding the back of the net.