UMass Going To College Cup

Minutemen Beat UIC To Advance to First NCAA Semifinal

December 9, 2007

AMHERST, Mass. – Stuart Amick and Mike DeSantis scored and Zach Simmons made five saves to lead the UMass men’s soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Illinois-Chicago and a trip to the NCAA Semifinals for the first time in program history.

With Sunday’s win, the Minutemen advance to the College Cup for the first time. UMass will face No. 5-seed Ohio State on Friday night at 7 p.m. in Cary, N.C. The game will be shown live on ESPNU and tape-delay the following day at 11 a.m.

The UMass men's soccer team beat Illinois-Chicago, 2-1, Sunday to advance to the NCAA Semifinals. (Photo credit: UMass Athletics)

The Minutemen improve to 9-1 on the year at Rudd Field and are undefeated in the last seven games. The two goals were the first allowed by UIC in the NCAA Tournament and tied the most the Flames had given up all season.

Amick finished a Mark DeSantis cross in the 48th minute to put the Minutemen ahead, 1-0. Greg Cirillo advanced the ball up the right flank sending a cross into the box finding Mark DeSantis. DeSantis flicked the ball to Stuart Amick just outside the left post. Amick quickly got a foot on the ball firing it into the top right corner of the goal.

But UIC knotted the score, 1-1, a little over 10 minutes later when, after winning a corner, Charlie Trout put the ball in play towards the near post. A UMass defender initially headed the ball clear, but Mike Giffin controlled the loose ball and blasted a shot from 18 yards out for the equalizer.

However, the Minutemen were able to improve to 17-7-1 and advance to their first ever College Cup Semifinal thanks to Mike DeSantis. In the 80th minute, UMass earned a side-line throw-in in the far corner and Doug Rappaport heaved a pass into the box. The ball was deflected out where Cirillo fired a shot from outside the box towards the left post. DeSantis got a foot on Cirillo's shot deflecting it just inside the right post for the game-winner.

Sunday's game started as a defensive battle for both sides. UIC outshot UMass 7-to-4 in the first half, but each team played excellent defense within the 18-yard boxes to clear away any dangerous threats. Each keeper finished the opening frame with one save each.

The Flames held a 17-to-8 advantage in shots for the game and a 5-to-1 edge in corner kicks. Simmons made five saves for the game for UMass, including four in the second half. He made several spectacular saves late in the game to keep the Minutemen alive. Jovan Bubonja made three saves in goal for the Flames.