Griffins' short-handed loss to Millikin is team's eighth of the season

St. Louis, Mo. - Sophomore Austin Willenbrock received his second yellow card at the 16:29 minute mark, forcing the Griffins to be man-down for the rest of the game. Fontbonne eventually fell to Millikin University 2-1 Wednesday night.

Fontbonne sported a good showing despite one less player on the field. The Griffins' passing and teamwork improved from games past, but the Griffins were unbalanced offensively against the Millikin defense. Multiple times Fontbonne passed to a wide open player upfield only to have a swarm of Big Blue collapse and take away the threat. Alex Platipodis and Devin Arand were crucial in clearly the ball out defensively for Fontbonne. Platipodis knocked away the majority of Millikin corner kicks, thanks to his height and ability to head the ball out of harms way.

At the 11:35 mark, senior Tim Menzel had a great look at the goal on a pass from fellow senior Phil Ganglof when he shot just wide as Millikin goalkeeper dove and the ball narrowly missed the right goal post.

Willenbrock's first yellow card was in conjunction with Millikin's Kellin Daniels' as both received unsportsmanlike conduct fouls. Shortly thereafter, Daniels' didn't like the SAR's throw-in call and shoved Fontbonne's Nate Spiess. No call from the referee as Griffin fans wanted a second yellow for Daniels. Griffin fans and coaches were dumbfounded when Willenbrock's second yellow was thrown for dissent and the sophomore had to leave the field.

Millikin's Nick Abel was the throw-in master, sending the ball into the middle of the box multiple times. He assisted Tucker Mathieson's header which gave Millikin a 1-0 lead.

The Griffins threatened Millikin five minutes later when sophomore Kameron Thomas sent a nice long-ball up the sideline for freshman Alex Phillips. Phillips passed to Menzel who sent the ball to Gangloff, but Gangloff's shot was saved by Daniel Sinclair. Three minutes after that Sinclair shut down Menzel's shot 25 yards out.

Millikin's corner kick near the 66 minute mark resulted in Mathieson's second header of the night off a deflection for a Big Blue 2-0 lead. But just two minutes later, Fontbonne's Nate Spiess shot the ball, which was brought down by a Millikin hand. Menzel took the free kick, just ouside the top left of the box, which sailed into the right corner of the net for Menzel's first goal of the season. Griffin senior goalkeeper Joey Mirth made an amazing save with nine minutes remaining as a Big Blue player was in front of the goal with defense closing in.

Emotions were running high as the game became more chippy in the final 30 minutes of play as their was only a one-goal difference. The referee was letting more fouls slide, and eventually another yellow card was thrown for Millikin when Dylan Hottsmith ran into Mirth, injuring the Griffin after Mirth maintained possession of the ball.

Millikin rattled of 15 shots to Fontbonne's six. Mirth recorded six saves in the game and Millikin totaled eight corner kicks compared to Fontbonne's zero.

The Griffins host MacMurray College on Saturday at 8pm for their SLIAC opener.