NCAA Bound
For the second time in school history, the UMBC men’s soccer program will compete in the NCAA Division I Championships as the Retrievers advanced, 5-4, in penalty kicks in the America East Conference title game after playing visiting New Hampshire (UNH) to a 0-0 scoreless draw.
“I am extremely proud of our Men’s Soccer program,” said UMBC Athletics Director Charles Brown. “Coach Pete Caringi, his staff and our student-athletes have had an amazing season. It is great to see that a team with such hard work and dedication has won the America East Conference Championship. The atmosphere at our championship game was amazing and everyone in attendance was treated to a very special day. I am sure our team will make UMBC proud in the NCAA Championships.”
The game pitted the league’s top offense of UMBC against the best defense in UNH. The second-seeded Retrievers (11-4-3) and fifth-seeded Wildcats (9-5-6) played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer, necessitating the penalty kicks. After both teams converted their opening kicks, UMBC junior goalkeeper Dan Louisignau made a diving save to his right on an attempt by UNH’s Joe Corsello.
The next three shooters for each squad converted, leaving it up to UMBC senior midfielder John Paul Waraksa with the shootout knotted at 4-4. The Retriever captain placed his shot inside the left post, setting off a wild celebration from the Retriever players and partisan crowd at UMBC Soccer Stadium.
Senior forward Levi Houapeu was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. He scored two goals in the semifinals vs. Stony Brook and was the game’s most dangerous player in the finals. Warkasa, senior captain Chris Williams and junior midfielder Andrew Bulls were also selected to the All-Championship Team.
“This is a very confident team,“ Caringi said. “We played a lot of good teams on the road and won games at Bucknell and Penn State. It shows that we can play with anybody if we play our game. Our team had tremendous support this season from UMBC students, alumni and fans. We’re very excited to represent UMBC in the NCAA tournament.”
The Retrievers are now 7-1-3 in their last 11 outings heading into the NCAA tournament.
The team will face host Princeton in the first round of the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championships on Thursday, Nov. 18. Kick-off time is set for 7 p.m. at Roberts Stadium in Princeton, N.J.
UMBC previously went to the NCAA’s in 1999, after winning the Northeast Conference Tournament and advancing in penalty kicks over Lafayette in an NCAA play-in game. The Retrievers, who owned the country’s best record at 19-1-1 in that season, lost, 4-3, in overtime at top-seeded Duke.
(11/15/10)
