Victory!
UMBC junior midfielder Andrew Bulls scored with 11:58 remaining, as the Retrievers rallied from a 1-0 deficit to defeat tenth-ranked Princeton, 2-1, and advance to the second round of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championships.
“We are ecstatic to come away with a victory against a really, really good team,” said head coach Pete Caringi. “Princeton is one of the best teams in the country and this is a very tough place to come up and get a win. I am really proud of our players.”
The Retrievers improve to 12-4-3 and extending their unbeaten streak to seven straight games, while snapping the Tigers’ (13-4-1)12-game winning streak.
UMBC advances to take on host 12th-seeded William & Mary on Sunday, November 21, at 5 p.m. The fan bus departs from UMBC’s Stadium Lot at 12 p.m. The cost is $20 per person round trip but does not include a ticket to the game. Contact Kristen Alexander at kristen2@umbc.edu by 6 p.m. Saturday to reserve a seat on the bus. Tickets to the game, which can be purchased at William & Mary’s Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field, are $5 for adults and $3 for youth 14-and-under and for students with valid ID.
The game was tied at 1-1 at intermission when the potent tandem of Bulls and Levi Houapeu struck for the second time in the game. Junior back Andy Streilein served a ball deep into Princeton territory, where the duo both tried to run it down. Houapeu got to it first and after breaking into the box, slid a pass to the right for Bulls, who just tucked the ball into the far left corner.
The Tigers dominated the early action, but did not break through until the 32nd minute in unorthodox fashion. Antoine Hoppenot’s corner kick from the left corner eluded UMBC goalkeeper Dan Louisignau and bent into the goal, just inside the far corner.
But a Tiger handball seven yards outside the box provided UMBC an opportunity that they would convert. Bulls took the kick and bent it around the wall and off the right post. The rebound came out diagonally and Houapeu converted the rebound to knot the score at 1-1 in the 42nd minute.
Houapeu’s goal was his 15th of the season, matching his total of the 2009 campaign. The assist for Bulls was the 28th of his career, tying UMBC’s all-time leader James Hamilton (’01).
Louisignau made a season-high 10 saves in the UMBC cage.
UMBC improved to 4-4-0 when allowing the game’s first goal this season and held Princeton below two goals for only the second time since Sept. 19.
“Our game against Princeton was monumental for the Men’s Soccer program,” said Charles Brown, director of athletics. “We beat a nationally ranked opponent on their own turf and our team played with grit and determination. We are very proud of the entire team and coaching staff. We look forward to traveling to Williamsburg, Virginia to take on the 12th ranked William & Mary as we advance in the NCAA Division I Soccer Championship. GO RETRIEVERS!”
(11/19/10)
