Men's soccer takes first two games of tourny

By: Chip Harsh

Posted: 11/20/08

The men's soccer team has begun a successful post season, winning two games in the NCAA tournament. The team beat Ithaca and York over the weekend and will play Steven's Tech this Saturday.

A week ago the team was devastated in the Centennial Conference Championship by Swarthmore, a team they had already beaten during the regular season. But the Jays were given an at-large bid for the national NCAA tournament. Their road would be tough but as a team they knew anything was possible. This past week they have proven that they are, in fact, the team to beat.

On Wednesday the team travelled to Ithaca, N.Y. to play the Bombers last Thursday. The Bombers were ranked 23rd nationally, but Hopkins prevailed decisively, winning by a score of 1-0. Six minutes into the first overtime, senior forward Nick Gauna footed a solid assist from sophomore Chris Wilson straight to the back of the net. Gauna spoke of the goal as "the perfect cross from Wilson."

"They knew it had to be done now. And Wilson did it like we told him to," Evan Giles said.

The Jays raced a quick Ithaca team into overtime, thanks to solid goal keeping from Matt Mierly, who earned his seventh shutout of the season. And in the second half, the offense outshot the home team substantially.

The cold weather of upstate New York and the unkempt grass field had no effect on the Jays, who left all their passion and energy on the field in an incredible display of determination and team work.

Throughout the game Hopkins brought the ball down on both sides of the field and created many scoring opportunities in crosses and corner kicks. Wilson, the scrappy sophomore, beat the Ithaca defender in a foot race to the end line and as the goalie came to attempt to defend his box, Wilson relayed a crisp pass to the sharpshooter, Gauna. In a crowd of rowdy Bomber defenders Gauna prevailed to score the golden goal.

"I knew I could beat [their defenders]," Wilson said. "I got the ball, took him on [and] beat him. Game, set, match."

York College, the number two team in the nation and unbeaten on the season, had a bye in the first round. Hopkins and York met in York, Penn. earlier this season, and Hopkins lost a tight match 1-0.

The Spartans were ready for a close match and the first 90 minutes were not enough to decide a victory. York had averaged 3.11 goals per game and had only given up three goals in their 18-win season. Once again the solid Hopkins defense and the tenacious Matt Mierly kept the game scoreless after 110 minutes.

The teams battled brutally cold temperatures and halting winds, as well as each other. Regulation and overtime would not be enough to decide such an epic and emotional battle.

Then there was a firefight - a shootout to decide who would move on to the Sweet 16. York would shoot first in the five rounds of penalty kicks. The junior Max Venker was first to shoot for Hopkins, but the fresh, York goalie, who had been substituted for the PKs, saved the shot and Hopkins fell 1-0 after the first round.

Gauna, the hero from Ithaca, scored, making the score 2-1, advantage York, after two rounds. The third round brought Scott Bukoski to the hash mark. Before his shot, Gauna said that he "wasn't too nervous" and that he knew all along "Mierly would be able to save one." Bukoski, the team's leading scorer, easily netted the free kick, allowing for Hopkins to stay alive, 3-2, after three rounds.

For the fourth round, York missed wide left, and cheers could be heard from the loyal Hopkins fans in York. The senior captain and conference player of the year, Matt Carlson, was next to shoot for the Jays, and without hesitation, his kick brought the Spartans and the Jays tied going into the final round.

The final round York kicked first, the shot flew low and away to Matt Mierley's right side. The talented goalie leapt, diving to the far end of the goal; his gloved hands deflecting the shot in a memorable save.

For the climax of the afternoon, Ethan Mulligan, the hard-nosed senior captain stepped to the line. His shot would determine the fate of Hopkins and York soccer. The soccer ball scorched towards the goal unscathed by the goalie bringing Hopkins a victory over the best team in the bracket.

Hopkins has won the first two games of the playoffs with two shutouts. The defense has done a phenomenal job keeping the ball out of Jay territory and Matt Mierly has a collection of glorious saves from both games.

On offense, the team boasts a repertoire of sharpshooters to choose from, all of whom have scored this season and will continue to dominate opposition's defenses.

"We beat two teams on their turf and we were the underdog," Gauna said. "This will be our third straight game as an underdog and away." The team has the confidence and the potential to win this Saturday.

The Jays have finally shown their potential in these two important victories. "We know we can beat whoever comes at us, as [was] proven with York. All we have to do is believe," Bukoski said.

Coach Appleby, in his first season here at Hopkins, will lead the team to Steven's Tech, in N.J., on Saturday.