Kentucky Upsets Billikens On Penalty Kicks In NCAA Tournament
11.19.2000
Kentucky Upsets Billikens On Penalty Kicks In NCAA Tournament
ST. LOUIS -- Ninth-ranked Saint Louis was eliminated by Kentucky on penalty
kicks in a first-round NCAA College Cup men's soccer match Novbember 18 before 2,125 fans at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. Wildcats
keeper Brian O'Leary made 11 saves and stopped two Billiken shots in the
shootout to send UK to a second-round match against the Southern
Methodist/IUPUI winner.
"I'm proud of our team, because we played well and left it all on the
field today, said Billikens head coach Bob Warming. "Soccer can be a
cruel game, because we didn't lose this game. That was one of the best
goalkeeping performances that I've ever witnessed, though."
Kentucky head coach Ian Collins was equally complimentary of both teams.
"We've played three of the teams that were ranked No. 1 this year, and
Saint Louis is the equal of any of them," he said. "But I'm also proud
of my team, because they showed a lot of heart. We knew we weren't going
to come into Saint Louis and dominate. That's not going to happen."
The Billikens and Wildcats battled through a scoreless first half that
saw Saint Louis out-shoot the 'Cats 5-2. Billiken midfielder Brian
Hadican's header in the 15th minute was punched over the cross bar by
O'Leary. SLU forward Nick Walls was in close in the 24th minute and
created a scramble, but the 'Cats cleared it. Kentucky had a grand
opportunity in the 43rd minute when Billiken keeper John Politis
slipped. UK forward Chris McDaniel poked it past Politis, but SLU
defenders Joe Hammes and Jason Cole stepped in to clear it off their own
line.
Politis came up big in the 74th minute with a leaping save off a header
by UK back Tyler Cook. Shortly thereafter, Jack Jewsbury drilled a
30-yard shot, but O'Leary was perfectly positioned. Andy Pusateri
drilled a shot in the 80th minute from 20 yards out that O'Leary tipped
over the cross bar. Mike Hill was dangerous in the 93rd minute sending
a 25-yard blast that O'Leary knocked down but couldn't control, and
Jewsbury didn't have an angle on the rebound.
Saint Louis had the first legitimate chance in overtime in the 95th
minute as the Billikens controlled the play. After eluding the diving
tackle of a UK defender, Pusateri sent a cross that found Cole for a
diving header that rolled past the left post. UK had an extended stay in
the SLU end in the 98th minute that resulted in a free kick and a
corner, but didn't create any solid chances. Billiken forward Vedad
Alagic sent a blistering drive just past the right post in the 103rd
minute off a feed from David Beck.
In the second overtime, McDaniel got off a shot from 10 yards at point
blank range but was denied by Politis. On the Billiken counter attack,
O'Leary made a diving save of Jewsbury's 15-yard drive.
The Billikens had a decided advantage in possession time in the third
overtime, but had difficulty creating good chances as fatigue began to
take its toll. Saint Louis' Walls had the only good chance in the third
OT in the 132nd minute with a shot over the cross bar from 15 yards.
In the fourth overtime, Hammes' header off a Beck corner kick was
cleared off the UK line by Thomas Graham at the far post in the 139th
minute. After a sensational move off the endline by Lauren Reinhardt and
a touch by Hadican, Jewsbury was alone in front from three yards but the
UK defense again turned the shot aside in the 145th minute.
In the shootout, each keeper stopped the first shot that they faced.
O'Leary turned the tide for UK when he denied Reinhardt. Wildcats
midfielder J.D. Stephenson netted the final UK attempt, and the 'Cats
won the shootout 4-2.
"I don't know if it's the best match that I've ever played," O'Leary
said. "But when you consider that we don't give up that many shots, I
guess it ranks up there."
Saint Louis out-shot Kentucky 21-7 for the match and had a 14-5 edge in
corner kicks. The totals in both categories were season highs for the
Billikens.
The Billikens finish their season 13-3-3, while Kentucky moved to
11-8-2.
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