The Golden Grizzlies secured a home playoff game as they took down the visiting University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix in overtime on senior night, 1-0. With this win, the men’s team secured a home playoff game against the Milwaukee Panthers in the Horizon League Championship tournament.

After sitting out for almost 100 minutes of game time, freshman forward Dawsun Schrum came off the bench to score the game-winning breakaway goal. Schrum, a player who is thought of by his coaching staff as a great goal scorer, was mobbed by his teammates near the opponent’s goal after winning the game.

“In overtime, it’s a golden goal situation, so everyone comes on the field if you score,” Schrum said. “In this big game going into playoffs, it’s a great feeling when everyone comes on. You’re like the main event. It’s a huge team thing too, because everyone’s together and it’s a huge team celebration.”

Schrum’s goal came on a breakaway opportunity, where an errant pass led to a wide open lane to the Green Bay goal. In a previous match against Cleveland State University, Schrum missed a wide open goal, which he admitted was on the back of his mind. This time, he put the goal in the back of the net.

“I was on the bench pretty much the whole game,” Schrum said. “I usually just sub in here and there. I just tried to make a difference when I came in. When you get your opportunity, you have to put it away, and that’s what I tried to do.”

On senior night, the team was able to not only win, but secure another match on their home turf, something that Head Coach Eric Pogue was grateful for.

“It’s great to send the seniors out with a win,” Pogue said. “It’s not only a great reward to win on senior night but also the reward of being the [No. 3] seed, getting another game on our home field.”

The Milwaukee Panthers will come to Rochester on Monday, Nov. 5 in a rematch of a match that ended 1-0, Oakland winning with a goal in the 89th minute by forward Nebojsa Popovic. The Panthers play a similar style as Oakland, which presents a tough match up for the Golden Grizzlies.

“They have some fantastic fowards,” Pogue said. “We had a really tough game with them and were lucky to get away with a result that night. It’s going to be tough and physical.”

Seniors such as midfielder Jimmy Todd and forward Travis Harrington have seen multiple Horizon League titles with the team and have been with Pogue since their youth days as well.

“I get emotional just talking about these guys,” Pogue said. “I coached Jimmy and Travis in their youth days, and then they helped us win two championships. They’ve been great for us. It was great for all of them to impact the game. There’s no better way to end senior night than to end on a win and reward these guys with a home game.”