Behind a combination of stifling defense and opportunistic offense, the Massachusetts men's soccer team gave its departing seniors the best gift they could ask for - an Atlantic 10 title.
The Minutemen (9-6-2, 7-1-1 A-10) clinched their first A-10 regular season title since 2002 with a 1-0 win over Charlotte on Senior Day Sunday afternoon. UMass earned the opportunity to play for the championship with a 2-1 victory over No. 10 Saint Louis in double overtime Friday before clinching the conference yesterday.
After losing its conference opener to Rhode Island, UMass went on an eight-game unbeaten streak, including a six-game winning streak on their way to the championship.
"When we played at Rhode Island, we played well but we just didn't get the result." UMass coach Sam Koch said. "We knew that even though things didn't go our way that we weren't a bad team."
On a day meant to honor the seniors, it was a sophomore who made the difference. Sophomore midfielder Ben Arikian scored the game-winning goal Sunday against Charlotte and assisted on both goals in UMass' win against the Billikens Friday.
It was not an easy weekend for Arikian. Charlotte focused all of its energy trying to contain him and he was knocked around throughout the game. He had to leave the game briefly when he was elbowed in the head with 2 minutes remaining in the first half.
Arikian would not let the hit go unpunished. He returned in the second half and scored on a header in the 48th minute to give UMass a 1-0 lead it would never surrender.
"He's a big part of our team. The way he goes, we go," Koch said. "He played really well on Friday and really well [Sunday], when he does that we are not going to lose."
UMass' defense, led by senior Chris Brown, was outstanding against Charlotte. The 49ers did not register a shot on goal until the 65th minute and finished with three shots on goal total.
The most impressive aspect of the defense was its ability to stop teams from scoring on corner kicks this weekend. The Minutemen allowed 22 corner kicks this weekend (13 for SLU, nine for Charlotte), but neither team converted those chances into goals.
"I don't know if you guys noticed but we have an invisible force field in front the goal," Koch joked. "[Corner kicks] are hard to stop. I don't want to give up 22 corner kicks, that's not our game plan. But, we defended well and we have a good group that defends the front of the goal and we were able [to stop them]."
Friday's game against the Billikens was a double overtime thriller that came down to the final minute after nearly ending in heartbreak. Mark DeSantis scored the game-winning goal with 1 minute, 16 seconds remaining in double overtime after the Minutemen allowed a game-tying goal by the Billikens with 12 seconds left in regulation.
"[It's tough] having to go back on the field against any team with 12 seconds left when they score," DeSantis said. "I felt like we deserved the win today, but it's good that we fought back and it shows a lot about this team."
The Minutemen struck first when Arikian lofted a corner kick to the far post that freshman defender Andrew Henshaw headed into the net. It was Henshaw's first career goal and gave the Minutemen a 1-0 lead with 14 minutes left in the first half.
It appeared that lead would hold up after neither team could score over the next 57 minutes, but a late foul gave the Billikens a free kick with 24 seconds remaining, and Billiken forward Jimmy Holmes slipped the ball into the net to tie the game with 12 seconds left.
DeSantis' winning goal in the second overtime was set up when midfielder Ben Arikian dribbled the ball into the offensive zone and threaded a pass to midfielder Stuart Amick, who was charging to the left post of the goal. Amick got a shot off from 10 feet away that SLU goalkeeper Pat Disbennett managed to deflect, but DeSantis was there to kick home the rebound.
"The goalie made a great save, and I was just lucky enough to be there, so I got to thank my teammates for that [goal]," DeSantis said.
The Minutemen will play in the A-10 tournament this Friday. They have the No. 1 seed and will receive a bye in the first round. The Minutemen could play either No. 4 Saint Louis, No. 5 Fordham or No. 6 Rhode Island.
Third-seeded Dayton takes on URI, and Fordham plays SLU. Temple earned the No. 2 seed and the other first-round bye in the quarterfinals.
Scott Feldman can be reached at sfeldman@student.umass.edu.
Be the first to comment on this article!