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CSU men's soccer following their Horizon League Tournament Championship win Nov. 15, 2025.
Credit: Cleveland State Athletics
Cleveland State defeated Purdue Fort Wayne in Saturday’s championship match, picking up a 1-0 win in double overtime to secure their third #HLMSOC title.

Men's soccer claims 2025 HL Tournament Championship

Cleveland State (9-3-6) won the program's third Horizon League Tournament Championship in a 1-0 double overtime thriller over Purdue Fort Wayne (8-3-6, 5-2-2) on Saturday afternoon.

The Vikings have now won two tournament championships under head coach Sinisa Ubiparipovic, both on Krenzler Field, with the most recent in 2022.

Matteo Correia was the hero in the title game as the sophomore headed in the only goal of the game in the 103rd minute off a cross by Paolo Roditti. The goal was his fifth of the year, tying for the team lead and earning him tournament MVP honors.

Cleveland State controlled the game, outshooting the Mastodons 20-5, including a 6-2 edge in shots on goal. The Green and White also had a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.

The Vikings nearly got on the board in the 18th minute when Tom Mertz's shot went off the right post and cleared out of danger. The game went into the break scoreless, with the home team holding a 10-4 edge in shots.

Cleveland State kept the pressure on in the second half with a 5-1 advantage in shots as the game remained scoreless, moving to golden goal overtime.

The first overtime saw the Green and White hold a 3-0 edge in shots and had two shots in the second overtime, with the second being the winner by Correia in the 103rd minute.

Ryan Poling, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, picked up his second shutout of the postseason after making two saves. The graduate now has six clean sheets on the year.

Mertz and Uzman Ramees also received All-Tournament honors for their play during the two games.

Horizon League Tournament Awards

All-Tournament team – Uzman RameesTom MertzRyan Poling
Tournament MVP – Matteo Correia

Up next: The Vikings make their eleventh appearance in the NCAA tournament, facing the 12th-ranked Marshall Herd, in the first round, at Marshall in Huntington, West Virginia on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 7:15 p.m.