Joyce's 98th minute PK lifts Ravens
to second-straight Regional title
RINDGE, N.H. (November 12,
2005) - Second-seeded Franklin Pierce, ranked No. 15 in
this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America
(NSCAA)/adidas Division II poll, out-lasted top-seeded and No.
7-ranked Dominican College, 1-0, in overtime in the NCAA Division
II New England Region Championship tonight at Sodexho
Field.
All-America forward
Christopher Joyce (Jarrow, England)
converted a penalty kick with 2:29 remaining in the first overtime
period to lift Franklin Pierce to its second-straight New England
region title. The Ravens will host No. 12-ranked New York Institute
of Technology in a quarterfinal round match next weekend. The Bears
advanced past No. 3 Dowling, 5-4, in a penalty shootout after the
two sides played to a 2-2 draw on Sunday afternoon. Date and time
of the quarterfinal will be announced on Monday.
Joyce, who collected Most
Outstanding Offensive Player honors for the second-straight year,
drove his penalty kick into the lower right corner of the net past
Dominican sophomore goalkeeper Robert Kelly (Kearny,
N.J./Kearny). Joyce was awarded the penalty after he
was pulled down while cutting across the penalty area by Dominican
sophomore back Joe Ruesgan (Scotland).
"It was a hard fought match," said
Joyce. "I'm proud of the way the Franklin Pierce boys played. It's
a credit to them
tonight."
Franklin Pierce sophomore goalkeeper
James Thorpe (East Longmeadow, Mass./Bridgton
Academy) received Most Outstanding Defensive Player
honors for the second-straight year as he made five saves, many
from point-blank range, to preserve his tenth shutout of the season
(24th career). Thorpe, who posted shutouts in both NCAA
Tournament victories, made three saves in the second half as the
Chargers out-shot the Ravens, 8-3.
Franklin Pierce had the better of
the action in the overtime. Senior Evan Luster
(Newington, Conn./Newington) had an open look on a
rebound off a corner kick blocked by a defender. The ball went to
Joyce on the right side and he cut back across the penalty area
where he drew the decisive foul.
Senior Kyle Clancy
(Walden, N.Y./Pine Bush), named to the All-Tournament
team, was the catalyst for Dominican all night, with several breaks
in one-on-one with Thorpe. The Ravens goalkeeper came up with saves
on Clancy in the 53rd and 75th minutes to
keep the match scoreless. Clancy also had open looks on three other
shots that missed either just wide or high of the target.
"I should have scored," said Clancy.
"It's my fault today. I had open looks, but couldn't convert them.
It's a tough way to go out like this."
Kelly finished with two saves for
Dominican on the night as the Chargers finished with a 13-9
advantage in shots.
"Both teams played tough tonight,"
said Franklin Pierce Head Coach Marco
Koolman. "It's an emotional thing when a match is
decided on a penalty, but a foul is a foul. The referee was adamant
about it and didn't hesitate in making the call. I even thought the
initial reaction of (Dominican's) players on the field showed they
realized what they had done."
NCAA DIVISION II MEN'S NEW
ENGLAND REGIONAL
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Most Outstanding Offensive
Player:
Christopher Joyce, Franklin Pierce
Most Outstanding Defensive
Player:
James Thorpe, Franklin Pierce
F - Marek Hawrylik (Olsztyn,
Poland), Franklin Pierce
F - Kyle Clancy, Dominican
M - Ryan Clancy (Walden, N.Y./Pine Bush), Dominican
M - Jhonny Arteaga (Stamford, Conn./Westhill), Dominican
M - Jason Grier (Norwell, Mass./Norwell), Franklin Pierce
B - Bisharra Ettienne (Queens, N.Y./Dominica State College),
Franklin Pierce
B - Andre Elphic (St. Catherines, Jamaica), Franklin Pierce
B - Tom Rolston (New City, N.Y./Clarkstown South), Dominican
B - Joe Ruesgan, Dominican
MATCH
STATISTICS
