SAN ANTONIO, Texas - After two spectacular semifinal matches, it was Trinity University and Southwestern University who survived and advanced to Sunday's conference title match. Bracket | Official Tournament Website
TRINITY 1, AUSTIN COLLEGE 0 - 2OT
Trinity's men's soccer team edged Austin College 1-0 in a double-overtime thriller in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals on Saturday evening. Box Score | Photos
The Tigers got the game's only goal in the 108th minute, narrowly avoiding penalty kicks to decide which team would advance. MJ Kawamoto knocked in the game-winner on an assist from Jonny Lawson.
Trinity (17-0-3) out-shot Austin 39-6 in the game, but Austin's goalkeeper Andrew Cello recorded 12 saves to keep the Tigers scoreless until the final shot. Tiger goalie Matt Cardone also recorded three saves to secure the shutout - all of which came in the second half of play.
With just under eight minutes left in regulation, Austin was forced to play a man down after Joey Alcocer received his second yellow card of the match. Despite that, Austin was still able to hold on until the second overtime period.
Kawamoto's goal was just his second of the season for the
Tigers, as well as being his first game-winner of 2012. He was also
a key member of Trinity's back line that allowed just six shots in
the game and recorded the team's 12 overall shutout.
Austin College ends its season with a 9-9-2 mark.
After the game, SCAC Correspondent Josh
Moczygemba caught up with both head coaches along with MJ
Kawamoto of Trinity University.
To listen to Austin College head coach Mark Hudson, click here.
To listen to Trinity University head coach Paul McGinlay, click here.
To listen to junior midfielder MJ Kawamoto, click here.
SOUTHWESTERN 0, COLORADO
COLLEGE 0
Southwestern advanced 4-1 on PKs
After watching the day's first
semifinal match progress to a second overtime before a decision, Colorado College and
Southwestern University managed to advance the tension meter one
notch higher in their match Saturday evening at Paul McGinlay
Field.
When 90 minutes of regulation play and 20 more
minutes of overtime produced neither a goal nor a decision, the
second slot in Sunday's SCAC title match was decided only after
Southwestern junior midfielder Matthew Nickell scored on
the team's fourth PK of the shootout.
In that shootout, Southwestern nailed its first three attempts
while Colorado College could muster just one score in three tries.
Nickell made it four-for-four for the Pirates, guaranteeing his
team would live to fight another day. Box
Score | Photos
The shootout was just the second in SCAC tournament history and
first since the 1992 championship match.
The statistics from the contest were as even as you'd expect from
such a tight game. Southwestern held a slight 18-17 margin on
shots, but the Pirates did manage six corners to just two for the
Tigers.
Colorado College keeper Forrest Marowitz had six saves
while Daniel Poole had four saves in goal for
Southwestern.
Southwestern advances to face Trinity in Sunday's SCAC
Championship with the winner receiving an automatic berth in the
NCAA Tournament. The game is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start on
Sunday, November 4.
Trinity will be going for its 15th SCAC men's soccer title, but
first via a tournament championship. Southwestern has never won a
SCAC men's soccer championship.
Colorado College (13-4-3), which was ranked second in the latest
NCAA West Region rankings, will now await word of an at-large berth
when the men's bracket is announced on Monday.
After the match, SCAC Correspondent Josh Moczygemba caught
up with both head coaches, along with Pirate goalkeeper Daniel
Poole and midfielder Matthew Nickell.
To listen to Colorado College head coach Horst Richardson,
click here.
To listen to Southwestern head coach Don Gregory, click here.
To listen to junior goalkeeper Daniel Poole of
Southwestern, click here.
To listen to junior midfielder Matthew Nickell of Southwestern,
click here.
