FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The Indiana Tech men's soccer team defeated Michigan - Dearborn 3-1 Saturday, overcoming a stubborn Wolverine team and very windy conditions at Tech's turf field. The win sets up a seemingly yearly postseason showdown with UNOH, which also advanced from its Saturday quarterfinal to face the Orange & Black in Ft. Wayne on Wednesday, Nov. 9th in a 1 PM mid-week matinee.

All of the first-half action came in a five-minute span starting with a Lucca Motta opener in the 19th minute, his 7th goal of the year. UMD responded with an equalizer from the penalty spot at the 23-minute mark, converted by Andrew Schwartz. Motta then netted his third match-winning goal of 2022 and eighth overall, just 47 seconds later, set up by a Luke Jones' assist at 23:47.

After another feeling-out period to open the second stanza, the Warriors produced an insurance goal with a fluid sequence down the left flank in the 61st minute. Brendan Sidaway started the move with a one-touch release pass, sending Aaron Asamoah streaking in to the penalty area. With his head up, the rookie midfielder shaped a centering pass to Warren Moss for a one-touch finish past Wolverine goalkeeper Elijah Burlak. The goal was Moss' second of the campaign, while Sidaway's part in the goal improved his team-best assist total to five.

The Warriors defended well down the stretch, allowing the visitors just four second-half shots, none of which seriously threatened Jaume Salvado's goal. Salvado did finish with two saves in his 11th win of the year.

Tech and UNOH will tangle in the WHAC Tournament for the sixth time in the last seven seasons, with Tech coming out on top in each of the last three postseason contests. The Warriors won the tournament title with a 3-0 win over the Racers in the 2021 final, matching the 3-0 win it secured in the 2020 WHAC title match. The teams skipped 2019, with a 1-0 Tech win in Lima, Ohio, in the 2018 semifinal initiating Tech's recent dominance of the series. UNOH swept away the Warriors in 2016 and 2017 WHAC tournament contests.