MONARCHS DEFEAT PROVIDENCE IN NCAA FIRST ROUND
The ODU men's soccer team won an NCAA tournament game for the fourth time in six seasons, beating Providence 1-0 Friday at ODU. The win means the Monarchs will make an appearance in the NCAA College Cup second round for the sixth consecutive season when they travel to play Brown University Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 7 pm.
The action was back-and-forth for much of the game. The Monarchs had the best opportunity of the first half just over ten minutes into the game. The Monarchs goal was scored by sophomore Ambane Emmanuel (Yaounde, Cameroon) off an assist from senior A.J. Kulp (Ephrata, Pa.). Kulp found freshman Stig Haddal (Skien, Norway) at the top of the box, who turned and found junior Bobby Foglesong streaking down the right side. Foglesong fired and the Friars keeper, Timothy Murray made a leaping save, but the ball continued toward the goal. Murray would have to scurry and smother the ball on the goal line, just before it trickled into the goal.
The game then turned into a possession battle, as neither team had significant scoring opportunities until the second half.
In the second, it was a similar story for the duration, aside from the one scoring play of the evening. In the 67th minute, Ambane Emmanuel would collect the ball on the near sideline, find his senior teammate in the middle of the field. Kulp had space and put the ball over the head of the last defender ahead of Emmanuel, who never stopped running down the sideline. He would only get one touch on the ball, but it was a good one, bouncing past the diving keeper and into the far corner of the goal.
It was Emmanuel's fourth goal on the season and Kulp's eighth assist. Kulp now leads the team with 16 points on the season.
The goal was one of just three shots put on-net for the Monarchs, who were matched offensively by the Friars, who also put three on-goal. ODU outshot the Friars overall 9-7 but Providence held a 9-0 advantage in corner kicks.
"It wasn't one of our best overall performances," said head coach Alan Dawson, "but I thought we showed a lot of character and a lot of guts tonight."
Evan Newton (Virginia Beach, Va.) posted his 11th shutout on the season and his fourth in the last five games. He lowered his goals against average to 0.60 on the season with the three-save effort.
ODU is 1-2 in the second round on the road.