SALEM, Va. (December 1, 2022)  – Senior Justin Cross made five saves but No. 4 Stevens Institute of Technology men's soccer fell to No. 2 University of Chicago 1-0 in overtime Thursday in the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship semifinals at Donald J. Kerr Stadium.

Playing in December for just the second time in program history, the Ducks appeared to be headed to penalties for the fourth time in the postseason, but Ryan Yetishefsky directed a cross from Naz Kabbani into the bottom-left corner of the goal in the 107th minute for what would be the only goal of the match. The thrilling overtime matchup marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

The setback closed Stevens' incredible 2022 campaign at 17-1-5 and ended the Ducks' unbeaten streak at 30, which dated back to Oct. 23 of last season. Stevens' national semifinal appearance was just the second (2008) in program history.

Will Boyes made one save for the Maroons, who improved to 21-0-1. UChicago will face the winner of Williams and University of Mary Washington in Saturday's national championship.

A spirited affair, the first half was a true battle of field position with nearly 80% of the possession time spent in the middle of the field. Stevens used a formidable presence in the midfield to prevent the Maroons from truly coming forward and getting settled. The Ducks conceded just four shots to UChicago over the opening 45 minutes, none of which were on target. The Maroons entered the match averaging 3.67 goals across four NCAA contests.

Graduate student Adam Silva produced the first scoring chance for either side in the 11th minute, but his shot sailed to the right of the goal ending the threat.

Out of halftime, Chicago put heavy pressure on the Ducks' in the defensive half of the field. The pressure nearly produced a breakthrough in the 51st minute, when Tanner Baldwin's shot nearly broke through the defense and crossed the goal line, but the Ducks successfully cleared the ball off the line at the last minute and were credited with a team save to preserve the 0-0 score.

As the time ticked away, an impressive rotation of players kept Chicago's offense from finding the back of the net. The Maroons fired off 11 shots in the second half, forcing Cross to make three saves. Yetishefsky nearly scored in the 87th minute, but his timing on a through ball was just off and his shot was just wide. The Ducks forced Boyes to make his only save of the match in the 71st minute, when Boyes snagged sophomore Terry Thompson's try for the back post after a Duck corner.

Cross was again up to the task in the first half of overtime, stopping a pair of dangerous chances less than 30 seconds apart in the 97th minute. First, Cross leapt into the air to punch away Robbie Pino's try for the top-left corner and then the Kendall Park, New Jersey native snagged All-American Richard Gillespie's dribbler towards the center of the goal. The 2022 MAC Freedom Tournament's Most Valuable Player, Cross made 21 saves over seven postseason matches and closed his season with a 0.44 goals-against average and a 0.863 save percentage. 

Missing several key players as the game transitioned into the extra time, the Ducks appeared headed to their second straight shootout before Yetishefsy's marker. First-year Kyle Rothwell's header in the 110th minute sailed wide.

Although the Ducks' season officially ends in the national semifinal, the 2022 campaign will go down as one of the most successful in program history. In addition to the program's second national semifinal appearance, the Ducks were the last college soccer team in the state of New Jersey - regardless of gender or NCAA division - to close its season. The Ducks collected three All-America awards, had five All-Region selections, six Academic All-District players and a total of seven landed on All-MAC Freedom teams. Additionally, the Ducks were embraced by the Hoboken community with fantastic spectator turnouts throughout the postseason as the Ducks made a triumphant return to the national landscape.

Inside the Numbers

• Chicago finished with a 21-4 advantage in shots, including a 7-1 edge in shots on-goal.
• The Maroons finished with an 8-1 margin in corners, including one in each half of overtime.
• Neither side committed a foul in overtime, although the teams combined for 20 in regulation.
• Junior Fritz Kabeiseman returned to the starting lineup and played all 110 minutes. First-year Ethan Hagen also returned to the lineup after a four-game absence and played 61 minutes.

From the Sidelines - Head Coach Dale Jordan

• "What an incredible season!! I am so proud of what the guys have achieved this year; they are an exceptional group of student-athletes who are fantastic embassies for the soccer program, the athletic department, their school, their families, their communities and for the state of New Jersey. I want to thank each of them for giving everything possible this season."
• "The coaching staff wants to thank the graduating seniors and graduate students who have given their all for the program. They are top-class soccer players, but even better people. They will not be forgotten in a hurry! Their legacies will continue on and it's now the task of the returning players to uphold the standard that they have set."
• "We want to thank all the families who have traveled all over to support the team. Thank you to the Stevens athletic department for all the support and assistance and facilitating the team to perform to their best. Thank you to our sports medicine department and the tireless work that they do, especially our head athletic trainer Allie McDavitt, who provides incredible support for the student athletes. Thank you to Ryan Linder for all the hard work he has put in to get the team to new levels, and finally we are so fortunate to have such a dedicated coaching staff who are among the best in the country."

Up Next

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