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Creighton 1 - Ohio State 0 - The Bluejays traveled to Columbus to play this first round match at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. Creighton, the Missouri Valley Tournament Champions, got the lone score of the game during the 26th minute when Ishmael Mintah crossed the ball to forward Mike Tranchilla who went to the lower left corner of the goal from point blank range. It was a very cold day in Columbus so both teams had to battle the weather conditions somewhat throughout the game. Ohio State had several opportunities to score but they were unable to capitalize on them. After the match Creighton head coach Bret Simon commented ”Today’s game was what we expected, it was very physical and hard fought. Ohio State didn’t give an inch anywhere on the ground. It was a battle every time they touched the ball. We feel very fortunate to come away with the win.” Ohio State skipper John Bluem stated “I was very proud of the way our team played today.” The Buckeyes conclude the 2000 season with a 12-5-4 record following their first trip to the NCAA Tournament. Creighton advances to face a very talented San Diego team in what should be a great game.
llinois-Chicago 1 - Bradley 0 - Illinois Chicago traveled to Peoria, Illinois to face the Bradley Braves. A crowd of over 1,500 fans turned out at Chiefs Club Field to watch this first round NCAA Tournament match between two teams who have had successful seasons and whose programs are on the way up. The game winner came with about six minutes remaining in regulation off of a free kick that was finished by freshman Pablo Melgar to enable Illinois-Chicago to advance to the second round of NCAA Tournament play for the first time in the program’s history. Bradley was making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in men’s soccer and they had to do it without the services of two-time All-American forward Gavin Glinton who is suffering from a pulled hamstring. The Braves had opportunities to win it but were unable to take advantage of them. It was a gutsy and hard fought win for Illinois-Chicago. The game is the last ever to be played at Chiefs Club Field and it was fitting in that regard that the largest crowd ever came out to support the home town Bradley Braves. Illinois-Chicago next faces a very tough Stanford team. It was a disappointing loss for Bradley but you can expect the Braves to build upon the success of this season next year.
Virginia 5 - Lehigh 0 - It was the Patriot League vs. the Atlantic Coast Conference in this match played in Charlottesville, Virginia before 1,215 spectators at Klockner Stadium. The Cavaliers dominated this one from the get-go. However, it was not until 34 minutes into the contest that they got their first goal when Ryan Kelly alertly recovered a deflection in front of the goal mouth and returned it cleanly into the net from about five yards out. Somehow you could feel that the floodgates were about to open and they eventually did. A little more than eight minutes later it was a 2-0 match when freshman Alecko Eskandarian made several nice cutting moves that resulted in an opening for him to launch a shot from about 15 yards out. The first half ended with the Cavaliers comfortably in front 2-0. Virginia continued to pressure Lehigh and in the second stanza of play Steve Totten, Ryan Kelly, and Eric Solomon scored to make the final score 5-0. Virginia moves to second round play and will host a tough St. John’s team that defeated fellow ACC members Duke and Wake Forest earlier in the year. It should be a good match and it will be interesting to see if St. John’s can contain Virginia’s very talented midfield. Virginia is now 16-5-1 and Lehigh ends the 2000 season with a record of 12-6-3.
Duke 1 - South Carolina 0 - The Blue Devils traveled to Columbia, South Carolina for this first round NCAA tourney game against seventh seeded South Carolina. It rained throughout the match as was the case throughout much of the country on this day. Duke got the game winner during the 71st minute of the contest when a penalty kick was awarded to the Blue Devils after Ali Curtis was taken down inside the box. Curtis, who has been the backbone of the Duke attack, converted the penalty kick that was the only score of the day. After the match Duke head coach John Rennie stated “I’d like to thank Ali Curtis for (the) fact that we are still playing. I thought this was one of the best individual efforts I have ever seen in a college soccer game. He got through the defense time and time again, he was double-teamed, triple teamed, and he kept going and going and got the goal.” South Carolina ends the 2000 season 12-4-3. “I am very proud of this team,” South Carolina head coach Mark Berson stated after the match. “They have had a tremendous season. They dedicated themselves to the purpose of returning to the NCAA tournament, and they accomplished that goal.” Both teams gave it everything they had in this one. This was a very big win and hurdle for Duke to overcome. The victory over South Carolina keeps them in the national championship hunt. The Blue Devils advance to the second round of NCAA Tournament play to face the Ivy League champions Brown who earlier defeated Vermont 2-0.
Clemson 3 - Furman 2 - Furman traveled to Clemson’s Riggs Field to take on the #2 seeded Tigers. Furman got on the board first when Matt Goldsmith scored during the 22nd minute of play with the assist coming from freshman sweeper McNeil Cronin. Clemson made it a 1-1 game when Mark Lisi scored off a direct kick just outside the penalty box. Seven minutes later the Tiger’s Steven Rhyne widened the gap to 2-1 when he scored from about 12 yards out. Credit Ian Fuller and Eric Lewis with the double assist on that one. Furman came back to knot the score at 2-2 less than two minutes later when Patrick Tanner scored with Cronin again contributing the assist. It looked like it might be headed to overtime but Clemson kept up the pressure and Eric Lewis got the game winner with a little over three minutes left in regulation. The goal was created off a throw in when senior defender Pablo Webster threw a long ball into the box that freshman Oguchi Onyewu skillfully flicked to Lewis who one touched it and drove the ball into the back of the net from six yards out. It was a tough loss for Furman but they have played well all year finishing with an impressive 17-4-2 record. It was a big win for the Clemson Tigers who advance to host the talented Connecticut Huskies in second round action. |
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