PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper College men's soccer fought hard for 90-plus minutes on Wednesday but came up on the wrong end of a 1-0 overtime decision to undefeated Triton College (10-0).  Triton scored the winning goal just 25 seconds into the overtime period on a ball that deflected off the hands of goalkeeper Jorge Caballero (Palatine, Ill., Palatine), hit the post and deflected right to a Triton player who promptly deposited it into the back of the net for the game-winner.  The loss was the second time the Trojans have defeated the Hawks in overtime this season.

“We played probably the best team in the region to an overtime loss on an unfortunate call so it's a little frustrating on that end,” said head coach Jason Diebold.  “This is what I've been preaching. You have to finish and play 100% of the game.  We can't just stop.  There are things to work on in that regard but otherwise, we've taken a lot of good steps in the last couple games and we're a much better team than we were so I'm happy with that.”

Neither team was able to get much of an attack going.  Harper's first chance came in the 16^th minute when Alvaro Rebolledo (Palatine, Ill., Palatine) sent a lead pass to Stephan Thabuteau (Palatine, Ill., Palatine), who got off a shot but the Trojan keeper made the save.  Kyle O'Meara (Palatine, Ill., Palatine) set up Thabuteau with another opportunity in the 23^rd minute but Triton's keeper ended any possibility of scoring by intercepting the ball.  After a free kick from Rebolledo, Leonardo Altamirano (Wheeling, Ill., Wheeling) sent a laser just over the goal in the 37^th minute.  Caballero made saves in the 23^rd minute, 26^th minute and in the 33^rd minute during which Triton quickly launched a counterattack after a Lorenzo Savino (Barrington, Ill., Fremd) free kick.

The Hawks had a flurry of opportunities at the end of the first half.  After Altamirano's high shot, O'Meara had a shot go just wide left of the goal.  Some nice passing between Diego Caldera (Elk Grove, Ill., Elk Grove), Altamirano and Savino led to a corner kick in the 41^st minute.  Rebolledo sent the ensuing corner kick into the box and O'Meara's header almost snuck through the crowd for a goal but it was deflected out of bounds.  Altamirano took the next corner and after it was deflected away by the Trojan goalkeeper, Harper had another corner kick.  This time, Rebolledo thought he had a goal but the referee ruled that the ball didn't cross the goal-line.

“We're not getting the results that we need,” Diebold said.  “We're not finishing and finding the goal.  We are putting ourselves in position to win but we aren't doing it.  That's the most frustrating thing about it because we are playing really good soccer right now.”

The second half was more of the same as the Hawks had several opportunities to score courtesy of some good play.  Thabuteau had a chance in the 50^th minute when he appeared to have an opening to the goal but he was tripped and never got a shot off.  Rebolledo put some nifty moves on a Triton defender in the 55^th minute to shake free but his shot went wide.  Rebolledo put another shot on goal in the 71^st minute but the Trojan goalkeeper redirected it over the goal.

The Hawks return to the pitch next Wednesday when they host Joliet.    Harper beat Joliet 1-0 on September 14^th.  Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 PM.