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Romeoville, Ill. – The Lewis University men's soccer team knew they were in for a challenge, as they hosted 2012 National Runner-Up and No. 2 ranked Saginaw Valley State in their season-opener on Thursday (Sept. 5) night.  
   The Flyers, however, were up to the task, as sophomore defender Isaac Sutton (Carol Stream, Ill./St. Joseph) scored his first career goal in the 108^th minute to lift Lewis to the 3-2 double-overtime victory over the visiting Cardinals at Lewis Stadium.
   With the win, Lewis improved to 1-0, while the Cardinals fall to 0-1.
   Junior forward George Thomson (Kilmarnock, Scotland/Reid Kerr College) put the Flyers on the board first in the 10^th minute with the first goal of the Lewis season. Sophomore midfielder Lenin Roa-Tapia (Schaumburg, Ill./Hoffman Estates) assisted on the play. The Flyers extended their lead to 2-0 90 seconds later, as Thomson uncorked a shot past SVSU goalie Tyler Yachcik.
   "I thought in the first half we did a lot of things that we had talked about before the game," Lewis head men's soccer coach Evan Fiffles said.  "I thought we executed really well."
   While the Flyers were in control in the first half, the Cardinals seized momentum in the second.
   SVSU's Michael Lamb began the comeback attempt, as his header off of a Morley Burns' corner kick, cut Lewis' lead in half at 2-1 in the 54^th minute.
   The Cardinals evened the score up at the 58:44 mark, as Lachlan Savage stole a pass from Lewis goalkeeper Alec Pickett (Mokena, Ill./Providence ) and scored from about 15 yards out.
   Pickett finished the game with eight saves, while his counterpart Yachcik stoned three Flyer shots. 
   Sutton's heroics came with 2:38 left in the second OT, as he took a pass from Thomson and scored his first career goal from 12 yards out. The Carol Stream, Ill., native made the most of his opportunity, as he had been recently injured.
   "Being out for two weeks and going up against a nationally-ranked team just gave me the motivation to play," Sutton said.  "I knew once I was given the chance, I'd have to take it."
   The Flyers are back in action on Saturday (Sept. 7) at noon, as they host Findlay at Lewis Stadium.