Council Bluffs, Iowa

Why would it be easy?  On an incredibly windy day at the Reiver Sports Complex on Saturday, Reiver men's soccer (14-0, 8-0) team hosted conference rival Marshalltown (10-4, 5-3) looking to lock down an ICCAC regular-season championship.

Although Marshalltown had already dropped two conference matches to teams the Reivers had topped, the Tigers would provide the toughest test to date.

Usually dominant in the attack and controlling possession of games, Coach Mike Brown's squad had to find a new identity in order to overcome the Tigers.

With numerous pieces missing because of injury, the Reivers relied on a strong defense and a complete team effort to withstand 14 shots (4 on goal) by the Tigers. 

In a game in which Iowa Western had spells of the possession, but often had to stay compact and defend, the team was professional and disciplined in adjusting their style to meet the demands of the match.

Neither team would score in a back and forth match in regulation or the first extra period. 

In the 102nd minute, Iowa Western finally struck when freshman Jacob Lønne redirected a long free-kick from sophomore Damia Viader to win the game in dramatic fashion. 

The golden goal victory for the Reivers provided their first outright ICCAC conference championship since 2016.

The Reivers travel to Southeastern to close out the regular season on Friday as they look to preserve their perfect record.

Follow the Reivers on social media platforms by using @ReiverSoccer.