ST. LOUIS – A golden goal is special. A golden goal at home has a little something extra to it.
It was quite the night for
Tom Barlow. Not only did the sophomore forward make a return trip home to St. Louis, but he also scored the game-winning goal in double overtime that lifted the Wisconsin men's soccer team past Saint Louis, 2-1, on Wednesday night.
With the Badgers and the Billikens locked in a 1-1 stalemate in double overtime,
Christopher Mueller lined up to take a corner kick. Mueller served the ball into the box and found Barlow, who scored on a header near post and won the game with his golden goal in the 105th minute.
It was Barlow's third goal of the season and the second game-winning goal of his career.
All of the Badgers (3-8-2, 1-1-2 Big Ten) wins have come on the road this season, including two double-overtime thrillers.
Not to be overshadowed by Barlow's heroics, Mueller finished with three points after he also scored the game-tying goal in the 75th minute to go along with his game-winning assist in double overtime. The sophomore midfielder leads Wisconsin this season with 11 points on four goals and three assists.
The pair played to a scoreless first half, as the Badgers ended the first 45 minutes with five shots to the Billiken's six. UW earned two corner kick opportunities also in the first half, while SLU only had one.
SLU was first to capitalize on a scoring opportunity, as Filip Pavisic tallied his third goal of the season off of an assist from Lennart Hein's free kick in the 49th minute.
The Badgers, not ready to lose the game, fired back 15 minutes later with a goal of their own from Mueller. His fourth goal of the year, Mueller ran up the right flank and slotted his shot in far post from 12 yards out to even the game back at one.
Heading into the first overtime period, the Badgers and the Billikens were tied at 11 shots apiece in regular play.
The pair settled for a scoreless 10 minutes in the first overtime period, prompting the second overtime. It was in the 105th minute that Barlow brought the game to an end with his game-winner.
Wisconsin resumes Big Ten play this weekend and travels to face Ohio State on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
