WILMINGTON – The Wilmington College men’s soccer team snatched victory from the jaws of defeat Saturday with a 2-1 overtime win against Mount Union in Ohio Athletic Conference action at Townsend Field.

Wilmington improves to 7-4-0 and 2-1-0 in the OAC win the victory. The Quakers head to Ohio Northern University Wednesday evening.

Wilmington struck first as Leon Tank found Niklas Martensson who buried his 12th goal of the season in the 23rd minute. That would be the Quakers only shot in the first half, and despite allowing Mount Union seven shots in the first 45 minutes including one that hit the post and another that caromed off the crossbar, the hosts took the one-goal lead into halftime.

Each team took one shot in the first 18 minutes of the second half, but things changed as the Quakers were forced to play a man down after Tank was sent off via red card.

The Purple Raiders, who came into the game ranked No. 13 in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll, outshot Wilmington 9-1 from that point and eventually tied the match at the 81:30 mark.

Mount Union continued to pressure as overtime began, and the pressure paid off at the 97:07 mark as the Purple Raiders were fouled in the box earning a penalty kick. Wilmington goalkeeper Felix Maurer dove to his right and stopped the potential game-winning goal.

Less than a minute later, it was Wilmington’s chance at victory as Mount Union goalkeeper Zach Hlas received a yellow card for tripping a Quaker attacker. Hlas got a hand on Martensson’s penalty kick, but the senior put just enough on it to give Wilmington the overtime victory.

“Soccer is crazy game,” WC head coach Alex Van der Sluijs said after the game. “Our guys never gave up and believed they could win despite the circumstances [being down a man].”

The Purple Raiders outshot the Quakers 19-4 in the game and held a 12-1 advantage in corner kicks. Maurer earned the victory, however, by stopping four of the five shots he faced.