Hawks do their talking on the field

PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff Despite posting an 18-1-1 record and cruising to both the Northeast Conference regular-season and postseason tournament titles, the Monmouth University men's soccer team felt slighted.

Monmouth University goalkeeper Bryan Meredith knocks away a shot before Connecticut's Tony Cascio can head the ball. The Hawks, who entered the NCAA Tournament with the second-best record in the nation and a No. 5 ranking in the latest NSCAA/Addidas Top 25 poll, felt they deserved one of the 16 first-round byes in the first round of the 48-team national tournament.

However, after getting the news that they would host No. 12 Connecticut in the first round, Monmouth focused on proving that they are more than just the best team from a mediocre conference. They did not sulk about their perceived lack of respect.

Instead, they backed up their talk with a historic and redeeming victory.

MU defeated UConn in a shootout (4- 3) on Nov. 19 to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the program's history.

Monmouth University's Ryan Kinne goes up for a head ball against Connecticut's Greg King during the second half of the first round of the NCAA soccer tournament on Nov. 19 in West Long Branch. The Hawks defeated the Huskies 4-3 in a penalty-kick shoot-out. PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff But more importantly, they silenced any critics who questioned the Hawks' ability to compete on the highest level.

"This is a tremendous achievement for our program," said MU head coach Robert McCourt, whose team was just the second MU team to host an NCAA Tournament game. "The guys worked very hard for this victory today, and we look forward to the next NCAA match with Harvard. We weathered the storm early and had some good moments in the second half and overtime. The team showed a lot of character today."

Indeed, Monmouth advanced to play the Ivy League champions this past Sunday in Cambridge, Mass. Harvard (13-3- 1), which lost to UConn, 4-0, in a regular-season affair, is the ninth seed in the NCAA Tournament. With a win on Sunday, the Hawks would get the winner of the Penn State-Maryland second-round game on Sunday, Nov. 29.

Against UConn, the Hawks overcame some early nerves to play to a scoreless tie through 110 minutes. The Huskies (11-4- 4) had the better of the play early on, hitting the crossbar on a header and nearly converting on two other scoring chances in the first 15 minutes. Monmouth made the necessary adjustment to UConn's team speed and began to even out the play shortly thereafter.

Monmouth nearly scored in the 73rd minute when Ryan Kinne headed an R.J. Allen cross just outside the right post. Meanwhile, the Huskies came dangerously close to scoring in the 89th minute when Alan Ponce headed a ball from point-blank range that MU keeper Bryan Meredith dove to stop. It was one of four saves that Meredith made in regulation and overtime en route to his 14th shutout of the season.

The Huskies certainly had more chances heading into the shoot-out, outshooting Monmouth, 15-4, and holding a 5-3 edge in corners. However, the Monmouth defense, a strength of the team throughout the year, kept the Hawks alive, setting up the shoot-out.

The shootout was tied at 3-3 after five kicks when Meredith stopped Jackson native Mike Pezza's attempt to the left upper 90. MU sophomore Cesar Blacido then stepped to the ball and blasted a shot to the left of UConn keeper Josh Ford and into the back of the net for the shootout's deciding score.

The tally set off a frenzied celebration on the Great Lawn as Monmouth fans, players and coaches savored a well-deserved taste of redemption.

The shoot-out began when UConn's Carlos Alvarez sailed a shot high over the goal. MU's Allen (of Old Bridge) was the first Hawk to shoot, and his shot also went wide. In the second round, UConn's Toni Stahl scored, and Monmouth's Daniel Bostick (of Nottinghamshire, England) followed suit, tying the shootout up at 1-1.

The Huskies' Cruz Hernandez scored next, before Kinne (of Naugatuck, Conn.) evened up the shootout for Monmouth at 2-2. Meredith saved Robert Brickley's shot in the fourth round, and MU freshman and Howell native Cody Calafiore beat Ford, but it rang off both posts and the shootout remained tied.

Ponce scored for the Huskies, putting them up 3-2, before Monmouth freshman and Freehold native Ryan Clark scored the shootout's equalizer, setting up Meredith's and Blacido's late heroics.