MEDFORD, Mass. (November 11, 2018) – Less than 24 hours after an emotional penalty kick shootout victory over Gordon College to begin its NCAA run, the 22nd-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology men's soccer team saw its season come to an end with a 1-0 loss to No. 2 Tufts University Sunday in an NCAA Second Round fixture played at the Jumbos' Bello Field.
Senior goalkeeper
Aaron Henry made eight saves for the Ducks, who finished the season 17-3-3. The 17 victories are the most under third-year head coach
Dale Jordan.
After a scoreless first half, Tufts (14-0-3) finally broke through in the 81st minute. Biagio Paoletta collected the ball near the night sideline and placed a crossing ball towards the middle of the net. Gavin Tasker pushed the ball past Henry to put the hosts in front. The goal snapped Henry's scoreless streak at 577:01. Tufts was playing its first match in two weeks.
The setback dropped Stevens to 19-12-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. The Ducks have advanced past the opening round of the national tournament in 13 of their 16 appearances.
The game marked the final collegiate match for seniors Henry,
Jimmy Doran,
Brett Holtzman,
Nicholas Cousillas,
Haddy Abdelhady,
Chris Cesario,
Daniel Aversano,
Nikolai Figueroa and
Andrew Masur. Together, the senior class went 56-19-9, including 23-2-3 in the Empire 8. The group earned three conference championships and won two matches in the NCAA Tournament, while advancing out of the opening round in two of the group's three appearances.
Pivotal Point
- With the teams still scoreless, a through ball sprang freshman Justin Kochman free near the edge of the 18.
- Kochman appeared to be taken down inside the box.
- A yellow card was issued, but the determination was that the foul was outside the box.
- On the restart, freshman Adam Silva had his shot blocked by the wall and sent away from danger. Silva led Stevens with four shots.
Inside the Numbers
- With the wind against affecting the field of play, the teams only combined for 18 shots, with 12 registering on net.
- Normally aggressive, the Ducks failed to generate sustained pressure in the attacking half and earned a season-low one corner. By contrast, Tufts earned 10 on the afternoon, including eight when the Ducks were attacking into the wind.
- A very physical affair, the teams combined for 32 fouls and three cards.
Unsung Heroes
- Henry closed out his career with 127 saves and a 0.66 career goals against average, which ranks fourth all-time in program history. The Fayetteville, Arkansas native also finished fourth with 21 clean sheets.
Quotables from the Sidelines (Jordan)
- "Incredible fight and spirit shown by our team today against a national powerhouse. We withstood long periods of pressure and created a few chances that on another day might have gone in. Extremely proud of the team and the hard work they have put in this season."
- "I want to personally thank the seniors for the incredible leadership they displayed over their four years in the program. They have set the standard and certainly have left a legacy in their time here at Stevens. I am excited to see how successful they will be in the working world. They are high-character guys who are extremely hard workers. We are thankful for their service to the program."
- "Our captains Nick and Andy set incredibly high standards this year in their leadership roles. They lead by example on and off the pitch and I am grateful [to have had] the chance to work with them. I wish them all the success in the world."
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