NEWARK, N.J. (November 18, 2006) – The Stevens Institute of Technology men’s soccer team dropped to New York University in penalty kicks, 3-1, in the NCAA Division III Championship sectional semifinal game played at New Jersey Institute of Technology on Saturday. The Ducks (18-0-3) and the Violets played to a 1-1 tie in regulation before NYU advanced to the national quarterfinals for the first time in program history.
NYU got on the board 3:06 into the game on a Stevens own goal. The ball was sent into the box and redirected off senior defender Brandon Schaefer (Albuquerque, N.M.) and past senior goalkeeper Chris Celentano (Newton, N.J.)
Stevens raised its intensity and had numerous scoring opportunies, but could not get the ball past NYU goaltender Chris Wright (Colchester, Conn.). Stevens had a prime opportunity to score when junior midfielder Craig Moquin’s (Breinigsville, Pa.) free kick from the left wing hit the inside of the far post with 19 minutes remaining in regulation. Junior midfielder Ryan Wilkison had a rebound opportunity and ripped a shot wide.
The Ducks were finally able to knot the game at 1-1 in the 75th minute of regulation when junior Mike Kaiser (Roy, Utah) sent a pass to freshman forward Todd Sheridan (Galloway, N.J.). Sheridan picked up his 14th goal of the season on the play.
Sheridan had opportunies in both overtime periods to score, but one shot sailed wide and the other hit the top of the crossbar. The Ducks out-shot the Violets 6-0 in the overtime stanza. With both teams remaining scoreless in both 10-minute overtime periods, the team to advance was to be determined in penalty kicks.
Senior defender Nick Gkionis (Jackson, N.J.) and Sheridan could not convert their first two shots for the Ducks as Gkionis’ shot sailed just wide of the net and Sheridan’s was saved by Wright. Senior midfielder Chris McGreevy (Rochester, Mich.) sent a shot through the hands of Wright to score the only goal for Stevens.
Senior midfielder Jon Simos (Valley Stream, N.Y.) first shot for NYU was saved by junior goalie Corey Connelly (Louisville, Ky.), but sophomore midfielder Adam Dhanens (Bakersfield, Calif.), sophomore forward Devin Freeman-Roche (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) and Wright’s next three shots all found the back of the net to seal the victory for the Violets.
Stevens out-shot NYU 26-12 in the contest.
