Boston College Athletics
Boston College
Connecticut (BIG EAST Championship)
Men's Soccer Captures Third BIG EAST Tournament Championship
November 17, 2002 | Men's Soccer
Nov. 17, 2002
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The men's soccer team won its third BIG EAST tournament championship -- and second in three years -- Sunday afternoon by beating Connecticut, 3-2, at a muddy Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University. Senior Bobby Thompson (Framingham/Framingham, Mass.), who had a goal and three assists in the tournament, was named its most outstanding player for the second time in his career, becoming just the third player in BIG EAST history to accomplish that feat.
With the win, the Eagles improve their mark to 16-4, establishing a new school single-season record for victories.
The other two times the Eagles were crowned tournament champions were in 1990 and 2000. With the win, the Eagles receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, in which they will be making their straight appearance.
The Huskies (15-5) had several good scoring opportunities in the early going. The two best were Leandro de Oliveira's left-footed shot from just outside the 18 that slid just past the right post and Andrew McLeod's cross through the box that went untouched.
Thompson gave the Eagles a 1-0 lead at 20:19 on Boston College's first shot of the game. Junior Adam Pfeifer (Newton North/Newton, Mass.) made a cross from the right side that deflected off a defender. Thompson ran on to it and, taking it out of the air, deposited a half volley into the upper left. It is his third goal of the season as well as the third of his career in the BIG EAST tournament.
UConn's Shavar Thomas nearly evened things up in the 23rd minute with a header off a cross, but fifth-year goalkeeper Kyle Singer (University of Virginia/Plymouth, Minn.) made a diving save to preserve the lead.
Sophomore Oktay Kilic (University of Heidelberg/Heidelberg, Germany) upped the lead to 2-0 with his sixth goal of the season at 33:25. Pfeifer set it up by lofting a cross from the right side to the far post. Kilic and Husky keeper Adam Schuerman both jumped for it, and Kilic headed it in far side.
UConn cut the deficit to 2-1 on an own goal at 53:27. De Oliveira fired a shot from the left side that went off the far post and deflected in off charging sophomore back Guy Melamed (Ort Greenberg/Nofit, Israel).
Melamed redeemed himself by widening BC's lead to 3-1 on his fifth goal of the season at 66:31. After juking a defender, Thompson passed the ball from near the endline to Melamed in front, and he buried a low shot into the left corner.
Cesar Cuellar drew the Huskies to within one with his 14th goal of the season at 84:07. He settled the ball in the box to the left of the goal, wheeled and snuck a shot just inside the far post.
Two minutes later Ralph made a bid to send the game into overtime, but his free kick from just outside box went wide right.
The clock finally ran out after a pair of Husky corner kicks proved fruitless. Connecticut held a decided advantage in shots (26-7) and corner kicks (9-3).
Singer, who set a Boston College record with his 15th win of the season, saved eight shots in the contest, while his counterpart, Schuerman, made just one save.
Interestingly, one of the other two men to be named BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player twice was also on the BC sidelines -- assistant coach Ian Hennessy. He received the honor in 1986 and '87 as a player for Seton Hall. St. Johns' Carlton Carter garnered the award in 1992 and '93.
Boston College now waits to see what seed it will receive in the NCAA Tournament. The selection show is tomorrow at 4:30 and will be televised live on ESPNEWS.
at Piscataway, N.J.
Connecticut (15-5)...............................0 2 - 2 Boston College (16-4)............................2 1 - 3
GOALS: BC, Bobby Thompson (unassisted) 20:19; BC, Oktay Kilic (Adam Pfeifer) 33:25; UC, Own goal 53:27; BC, Guy Melamed (Thompson) 66:31; UC, Cesar Cueller (unassisted) 84:07.
SAVES: UC, Adam Schuerman 1; BC, Kyle Singer 8.
