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THE TURNING POINT: Ashland freshman defender John Duldner headed a corner kick from junior midfielder Malcolm Mohrmann in the 110th and final minute to give the Eagles a win their return to the pitch.
STAT OF THE GAME: The Eagles scored two goals in the 2016 opener, their most tallies in a lid-lifter since 2009 (two).
With one header in the back of the net on Saturday (Sept. 3) afternoon in Amherst, N.Y., Ashland University freshman defender John Duldner became the answer to a trivia question.
Duldner's goal in the 110th and final minute on Saturday at Daemen lifted the Eagles, in their return to the pitch afte the program was reinstated last year, to a 2-1 double-overtime victory over the Wildcats. Duldner headed in a corner kick from junior midfielder Malcolm Mohrmann for Ashland's first win since Oct. 28, 2012, at Tiffin.
"It was a deserved win," said Ashland head coach Oliver Slawson, who earned his first victory as a collegiate head coach, "on the road, on a difficult surface, playing seven freshmen. The second half was as complete as we've played.
"I am happy for this young group to get their first college win."
Ashland's first goal of 2016 came in the 80th minute, when sophomore forward Tomas Cordeiro cashed in on a rebound off an initial header. Daemen responded with the tying goal in the 88th minute, forcing the overtime periods.
Senior goalkeeper Nick Ciraldo earned his first win as an Eagle by stopping four shots.
Daemen had a slight 20-18 advantage in shots, and the Eagles took eight of the game's 10 corner kicks.
"We'll learn from the one lapse we had that allowed them to get back in the game, and continue to sharpen up in front of goal so the score line reflects the balance of the game," Slawson said.
UP NEXT: Friday (Sept. 9) at 7 p.m. at Ferguson Field against Northern Michigan, in the Eagles' 2016 home opener.
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