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University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Creighton (NCAA First Round)
Men's Soccer Advances with 1-0 Win over Creighton
November 23, 2001 | Men's Soccer
Nov. 23, 2001
GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - Junior Derek Rhodes (DePere, Wis.) scored a goal in the 20th minute as the University of Massachusetts men's soccer team posted a 1-0 victory over Creighton here on Friday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament. With the win, UMass (15-5-1) advances to play host St. John's (N.Y.) in the second round on Sunday at 12:00 p.m.
In a first half dominated by UMass offensive attacks, junior Yuri Morales (Santa Cruz, Calif.) broke through the Creighton defense in the 20th minute with Rhodes charging on his right side. Morales dribbled past two defenders and dropped a perfectly-placed pass into the middle of the penalty box for a streaking Rhodes. Rhodes then slid a shot past an outstretched Andrew Brown for his third goal of the season, and Morales' 12th assist on the year.
The Minutemen continued to put offensive pressure on the Blue Jays throughout the half, and took a 1-0 lead into the lockerroom. Early in the second period, senior defender Fred Kinateder (Waukesha, Wis.) put together a great run through the Creighton defense and touched a soft pass to the feet of Atlantic 10 Offensive Player of the Year Jeff Deren (Chicopee, Mass.). Deren's shot was on target, but Brown made a sensational stop to keep the margin at one.
Barely two minutes later, Creighton (11-9-1) mounted its fiercest offensive attack as they fired four shots in rapid succession from inside the UMass penalty box. Lane Peercy made a run down the right side of the Minutemen defense, and scorched a shot at senior goalkeeper Bryan O'Quinn (Feeding Hills, Mass.). O'Quinn's save bounded back into play, and Mike Tranchilla blasted a shot that ricocheted off of senior defender J.R. Pouncey (Houston, Texas). After the rebound settled at the feet of Jeremy Shelton, O'Quinn made a spectacular save as he dove to deflect Shelton's shot off the near post.
The UMass defense then settled down and contained the Blue Jays for the rest of the contest, keeping all-Missouri Vally Conference forward Mike Tranchilla in check. Tranchilla, who had 16 goals on the season, was held to just two shots on the afternoon.
O'Quinn, who tied the school record for shutouts with his 150-minute blanking of Richmond in the finals of the A-10 Tournament, broke the record with his 16th career shutout. The senior captain has posted seven blankings in each of the past two seasons.
WIth the victory, head coach Sam Koch tied the school record for wins by a head coach. Koch now has a 122 wins at the helm of the Minutemen program, tying the school record set by the legendary Lawrence Briggs, who coached the Maroon and White from 1930-67.
The Minutemen tied a school record with their 15th win and will now face host St. John's, the national No. 8 seed in the tournament, on Sunday. Game time is set for noon at Stiles Field on the campus of Adelphi University.
