SUPERIOR, Wis. -- Kobby Owu (JR, St. Paul, Minn./Como Park HS) scored the game-winning goal 49 seconds into the first overtime, as the Augsburg University men's soccer team opened the 2021 campaign with a 2-1 nonconference win at the University of Wisconsin-Superior on Wednesday evening.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Augsburg 2, Wisconsin-Superior 1 (OT)
LOCATION: NBC Spartan Sports Complex, Superior, Wis.
RECORDS: Augsburg 1-0-0 overall, UW-Superior 0-1-0 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED
• After closing the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season with a 2-0 home win over UW-Superior on April 24, Augsburg claimed its second straight win over the Yellowjackets, a squad picked unanimously by conference coaches in a preseason poll to win the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference title.
• Following a throw-in by the Auggies in the first minute of overtime, Owu gave the visitors the victory on a rush into the 18-yard box, eluding a defender and depositing a low shot from the left side into the lower right corner of the goal. Helio De La Torre (SO, Oakdale, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) assisted on the goal.
• The Auggies took the initial lead at the 39:21 mark of the first half, as De La Torre gained the ball from a Yellowjacket defender off a steal by Jessie Juarez (FY, Shakopee, Minn./Shakopee HS) and scored from the left side, putting the ball low into the net.
• Augsburg outshot UW-Superior by a 22-8 margin in the game, including an 11-3 advantage in the first half. The Auggies had seven shots on-goal, compared to UW-Superior's two. The Auggies held a 53-to-47-percent advantage in possession in the game.
• Owu had five shots, including two on-goal, to lead the Auggies, while Tomas Piza-Gonzalez (FY, Minneapolis, Minn./Hiawatha Collegiate HS) had four shots and Nick Zuchowski (JR, Wales, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS) had three shots.
• Oscar Herrera (FY, Madison, Wis./Madison West HS) had one save to pick up his second collegiate victory in goal -- both over UW-Superior.

FOR THE FOES
• Brandon Conklin scored the lone goal of the game for the Yellowjackets, on a shot from the top of the penalty box in the 69th minute.
• Payton Anderson had five saves in goal for UW-Superior.

QUOTES FROM AUGSBURG COACH GREG HOLKER
• "One of our goals heading into the game was to be able to dictate the game with or without the ball, and in the first half we did that very well. We were the aggressor, and Superior's chances came from free kicks off our silly fouls. In the second half, it's no surprise that's how they scored on us. We lost control for 30 minutes and really just got into a battle. That's not what we wanted, for sure, so we learned some very good lessons about emotional control and our ability to remain calm under duress."
• "However, we regained the game with about 10 minutes to go in regulation, and I felt it was a matter of time before we finished our work. Kobby decided we just needed one additional minute of overtime to take care of it. Helio did so well to grab a ball from a difficult spot and play Kobby through 40 seconds into the OT. In the 1v1, Kobby spun his defender and got his season started off the right way, recording his first goal."
• "Helio was really strong tonight. The entire team knew a goal was coming when he broke through on his left foot, and he made no mistake slamming it in off the far post. It was a positive moment for him that we hope propels his ambitions along even further. Drew Collins, Marco Corona Duran, and Jorge Radilla were solid in the back tonight. We weren't getting broken in the run of play and they made sure of that. I also thought Spencer Enright looked sharp, especially in the first half. He is an important piece of our team and how we play."
• "Recovery is key as we have to turn around after a decent bus ride, get some sleep, go to class, and then play again tomorrow night at home against Crown. It's a tall task to ask the guys to play back to back, especially after a late night, but these obstacles are important for us to push through so we can grow."

UP NEXT
• Augsburg hosts Crown College in a nonconference match on Thursday (9/2) at 7:30 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field.