Nov. 2, 2009 STORRS, Conn. - With a 3-0 win over Marquette, the eighth-ranked University of Connecticut men's soccer team captured the 2009 BIG EAST Blue Division Championship title on Monday night in front of 2,140 fans at Morrone Stadium. Tonight's victory gave the Huskies its 18th BIG EAST title during their 27-year stint in the conference. This is UConn's 11th BIG EAST Regular Season title as it has won at least a share of the conference crown three times in the last five seasons. Since head coach Ray Reid took over at the helm of the UConn men's soccer program, the Huskies have won seven regular season championships, including titles in almost every other year beginning in 1998. Under the leadership of Reid, the Huskies won the BIG EAST Regular Season title in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2009. With tonight's victory, UConn improves to 11-3-3 on the year and 8-2-1 in the BIG EAST and have clinched the top seed in the 2009 BIG EAST Championship Tournament, which begins Wednesday with first round games. The Huskies, who earned a first-round bye, will begin postseason play on Saturday, Nov. 7 with a 7:00 p.m. game at Morrone Stadium. UConn will face the winner of the first-round contest between Providence and Villanova. Senior Mike Pezza scored the game-winning goal in the fifth minute of tonight's match-up as the Huskies dominated play on both ends of the field. After a foul was called on the Golden Eagles in the fifth minute, Pezza drilled a shot off a direct kick over the Marquette wall, while beating a diving Keenan Flynn with his third goal of the season into the top left corner of the net.
After the Huskies went ahead by one, they never looked back as they extended their lead to 2-0 with Alan Ponce's sixth goal of the season. Senior Toni Stahl forced a turnover and dribbled the ball down midfield and passed off to Ponce, who positioned himself inside the box. Ponce turned and was able to get a shot off in the 34th minute by two defenders to improve the UConn advantage. Thomas Wharf, who came off the bench for the Huskies, recorded his first career goal at UConn in the 70th minute as Pezza's direct kick flew through the hands of a leaping David Check to find Wharf positioned in front of the net to tally his third point of the year. For Pezza, it was the 34th assist of his career, moving him into sixth place among UConn's all-time assist leaders. The Huskies never lightened up its attack on the Marquette defense, outshooting the Golden Eagles 11-6 on the night, including a 6-0 advantage in the first half. UConn goalkeeper Josh Ford made one save on the night, on Marquette's lone shot on goal in the 83rd minute. With the shutout, Ford's career tally improved to 38 and 12 on the season. His 38 career shutouts move him into a tie for first on UConn's all-time career shutout list. Flynn and Check, who split time in net for the Golden Eagles, finished the game combined for one save and three goals allowed in the 90-minute contest. More information about the 2009 BIG EAST Championship can be found at www.UConnHuskies.com or by clicking here. |
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