[media-credit name=’DEREK MONTGOMERY/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]On a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon at the McClimon Soccer Complex, the Wisconsin men's soccer team (6-10-0, 1-4-0 Big Ten) snatched its first Big Ten victory of the season as it defeated Michigan State (6-5-5, 2-3-1) in overtime by a score of 3-2.

With only two minutes remaining in regulation time, Michigan State sophomore Rauwshan McKenzie tied the game at 2-2, sending the match into overtime. After already having lost to Washington, Ohio State and Penn State in extra time this season, Wisconsin broke its overtime curse with a strike by sophomore Erik Ortega in the 98th minute of play.

"Giving up a goal in the last couple of minutes of regulation can sting," head coach Jeff Rohrman said. "A lot of times that carries into overtime, so I was proud of our guys for coming out in the overtime and going about it the right way — finding a way to pull a win out."

Wisconsin took its initial lead in the 31st minute when junior captain Aaron Hohlbein earned a corner for the Badgers. Freshman standout Zack Lambo whipped the corner to the far post and found the head of junior Hamid Afsari, who sent his header back across the goal over Spartan goalkeeper Jason Tillman and into the side netting.

It took Michigan State only seven minutes to respond when freshman Doug DeMartin scored off a rebound from a McKenzie shot in the 38th minute. The strike was DeMartin's fifth of the season thus far.

Following a 1-1 scoreline at the break, the Badgers struck first in the second half when junior Frank Iaizzo sent a through pass to redshirt freshman Victor Diaz, who was taken down harshly in the penalty area. Diaz cooly placed the penalty into the upper-left hand corner of the net past the outstretched fingertips of Tillman. The 64th minute goal was Diaz's third successful penalty kick of the season.

After Wisconsin grabbed the lead, Rohrman attempted to secure a win by dropping another defender back and playing more defensively. However, as a result of numerous fouls, the Badger defense found itself under constant pressure.

"I thought where we beat ourselves down the stretch and let them back in was in some foolish set pieces that we gave them," Rohrman said. "There were a couple there that they missed on, and then we gave them one opportunity … for us to foul the way we did — that's what hurt us."

In the 83rd minute, the Spartans almost tied the match when senior John Kaczmarek crossed a ball from the right channel onto the head of McKenzie, whose flick-on soared past Badger keeper Jake Settle, but only found the woodwork.

McKenzie made up for his misfortune just five minutes later when he scored on a loose ball in the six-yard box to send the match into overtime.

After already having lost seven games by one goal this season, the Badgers were determined to change their luck and play the part of the victorious side Sunday. Receiving a pass from Iaizzo, Ortega made no mistake with his finish as his game-winning shot deflected off of a Spartan defender and into the back of the net.

"I just controlled it, I was thinking about going inside, but then I cut it back and found a little opening," Ortega said. "I took a shot, and lucky for me it skipped off of someone's leg and went straight in."

Although Sunday's victory only marks the team's first Big Ten win, Rohrman believes his squad has been highly competitive in all of its matches.

"I think, maybe with the exception of the second half against Indiana, we've competed well against all of the teams we've played against," Rohrman said. "It's good to see us get a bounce go our way and for us to rebound and earn a good win against a quality team."