Nov. 7, 2008

Box Score

AMHERST, Mass. - Junior midfielder Mark DeSantis (Stoneham, Mass.) drove home the game-winning goal in the 108th minute of play as the UMass men's soccer team secured a bid to the Atlantic 10 Championship Tournament with a 2-1 double overtime win over No. 10 Saint Louis (9-3-5, 5-3-0 A-10) on Friday afternoon at Rudd Field. The Minutemen (8-6-3, 6-1-1 A-10) led 1-0 for much of the game, but the Billikens were able to tie the game with 12 seconds remaining in regulation to force the extra time.

UMass now has a chance to win the A-10 Regular Season Title on Sunday at 1 PM against Charlotte at Rudd Field. With Temple playing to a draw against Fordham on Friday afternoon, UMass is now tied for first place with Dayton. The Flyers will face Xavier on Saturday afternoon. A Dayton loss and UMass win will give the Minutemen their first regular-season title since 2002.

The win on Friday also keeps UMass' seven game unbeaten streak alive which includes five straight wins. At Rudd Field, the Minutemen are now 13-2-1 dating back to last season.

Friday's win ensures the Minutemen a trip to the Atlantic 10 Tournament which will be held Nov. 13-16 at Duquesne in Pittsburgh. UMass is the defending A-10 Tournament Champions as part of the Minutemen's magical 2007 season which ended in the program's first-ever College Cup appearance.

The game-winning goal originated inside UMass' defensive third with a throw-in on the far sideline. After a few passes under pressure, sophomore Ben Arikian (West Islip, N.Y.) took the ball and dribbled past mid-field into UMass' offensive zone. After eluding a slide tackle, Arikian dumped the ball at the top of the 18-yard box to fellow sophomore Stuart Amick (West Lafayette, Ind.) on the left flank.

Amick took two dribbles and shot towards the right post. His shot was deflected by SLU keeper Pat Disbennett and rolled right in front of DeSantis who was crashing from the right flank. With a wide open net, DeSantis touched the ball over the goal line for the win.

The win is the second straight for UMass after the Minutemen defeated Saint Louis, 1-0, in 2007 in Missouri. DeSantis hit the game-winning goal in that match as well.

Freshman Andrew Henshaw (Marlborough, Mass.) tallied his first career goal in the 30th minute of play. He headed home the opening goal of the game on an Arikian corner kick towards the far right post. Henshaw became the 11th different Minuteman to register a goal this season.

After Henshaw's goal, the Billikens increased its pressure on the UMass defense. Saint Louis earned a total of nine corner kicks in the second half along, including one stretch of four straight, but the Minutemen held strong.

Saint Louis was able to generate the game-tying goal in the final 30 seconds of regulation to force the overtime periods. A UMass foul gave the Billikens a free kick from nearly 35 yards out in its offensive zone. The original kick was headed towards the far sideline, but was booted back into the 18-yard box by the Billikens. The cross went to the left post where a tangle of bodies collided around the ball. James Jaramillo touched the ball to Jimmy Holmes who turned and fired a low shot just inside the left post from point blank range with 12 seconds remaining in the second half.

Both sides battled for possession in the first overtime, but neither could find the golden goal until DeSantis scored with 1:26 remaining in the second overtime.

For the game, the teams were tied with 12 shots each. The Billikens earned 13 corner kicks to seven for UMass.

Zack Simmons picked up the win for UMass in goal making three saves, while Disbennett made four in the loss.

Simmons along with fellow seniors Tony Bassett, Chris Brown, Mike DeSantis and Prince Ofosu will be honored on Sunday prior to the 1 PM kick-off against Charlotte at Rudd Field. Admission, as always, is free to all!