2002 PSAC CHAMPIONS |
Penmen Proves Too Much for Warriors in NCAA Men's Soccer Quarterfinal
November 23, 2002
Manchester, NH - After playing to a 1-1 halftime tie, Southern New Hampshire busted out in the first 12 minutes of the second half for two goals and proved to be too much for East Stroudsburg in a 5-3 score in the NCAA Division II men's soccer Quarterfinal.
The Warriors complete their season an impressive 17-2-2, NCAA Division II Northeast Region champion and a record sixth consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title. The team's 17 victories fall just one win shy of tying the school record of 18 wins, which the Warriors have reached three different seasons (1994, 1999, & 2000). The five goals allowed by the Warriors were the most they have allowed all season and in recent memory while suffering their first loss in 11 games as they were 8-0-2 in the last 10 matches going into the contest.
Southern New Hampshire (19-2-2) recorded their first victory over ESU after the Warriors were 2-0-1 in the first three meetings. The last meeting came in the same round of NCAA playoffs of the 2000 season with ESU pulling a 4-2 victory.
The Penmen's top scorer Mounir Tajiou netted the game's first score off a header on a free kick a 7:06. ESU answered as Mike Lotocki booted in a rebound from 18 yards off a pass by Tom Mustac at 22:29 and the game would remain 1-1 the rest of the first half.
The Warriors were dealt a big blow late in the first half when All-American back Sean Stewart went down with a leg injury and did not return to the lineup.
Southern New Hampshire took control of the match in the first 12 minutes of half number two. Romelle Burgess and Cassid Ribeiro put in goals five minutes apart to give the Penmen a 3-1 advantage with just over 30 minutes remaining.
The host team increased the margin to 4-1 on Matt Kagan's score around ESU goalie Bill Sterner at 71:24. John King was able to get ESU back on the board and cut into the lead on a pass from Lotocki to bring it to a 4-2 contest coming at the 79:13 point.
Southern New Hampshire would not relent as Burgess connected for his second goal to make it 5-2. King followed two minutes later to make it 5-3 at 88:51 but that is all the closer the Warriors would get in the last moments of the match.
Goalie Sterner was able to stop six shots
by the Penmen while Adam Spinelli recorded just two saves for Southern New Hampshire.
The Penmen outshot ESU 18-9 and on corners 5-4.
(more)
ESU Men's
Soccer NCAA Quarterfinal - pg. 2
East Stroudsburg (17-2-2) 1-2 3
Southern
New Hampshire (19-2-2) 1-4 5
Scoring
SNH - Mounir Tajiou (Mike Savastra)
7:06
ESU - Mike Lotocki (Tom Mustac) 22:29
SNH - Romelle Burgess (Savastra)
52:15
SNH - Cassid Ribeiro (Anthony August) 57:20
SNH - Matt Kagan (Ribeiro)
71:24
ESU - John King (Lotocki) 79:13
SNH - Burgess (Ribeiro) 86:38
ESU
- King 88:51
Goalies
ESU - Bill Sterner (90 min.) 6 saves/ 5 goals
SNH
- Adam Spinelli (90 min.) 2 saves/ 3 goals
Shots - ESU 9, SNH 18
Corners
- ESU 4, SNH 5