Soccer Advances To NCAA Tournament Second Round With 3-0 Win Over Western Illinois
Nov. 11, 2006
Chicago, Ill.- The UIC men's soccer team made its return to the NCAA Tournament a successful one, as the Flames blanked Western Illinois, 3-0, in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship at Flames Field on Saturday night. In a match delayed a day after severe thunderstorms hit the Chicagoland area, it was the Flames (13-2-5) who reigned on Saturday with a balanced offensive output and another stingy defensive performance in UIC's first NCAA postseason match since 2000. UIC struck early. In the 14th minute Mike Giffin sent a corner kick deep into the box, where a leaping Cesar Zambrano flicked a header past Leatherneck keeper Stephen Paterson to give the Flames a 1-0 advantage. The Flames escaped trouble in the first half after a back pass to Jovan Bubonja was intercepted by a streaking Martin Browne. But Bubonja's pressure on Browne in the one-on-one battle forced a wide shot off the foot of the Western Illinois forward. In the 62nd minute Tonci Skroce possessed a ball on the right and served a pass into the box. There Eric Cervantes headed a beautiful ball past Paterson to extend UIC's advantage to 2-0. UIC iced the victory when Brodey Simkins ran toward goal and flicked a pass to Pavle Dundjer, who sent in the Flames' third goal of the night in the 76th minute. The Flames recorded their school-record 13th shutout of the season. Bubonja extended his solo school record for clean sheets with his 11th blanking of the year.
The three-goal output was UIC's best offensive showing in an NCAA postseason game. UIC travels to South Bend, Ind., to face 12th-seeded Notre Dame on Wednesday, November 15th at 6:00 p.m. Central. |
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