Tribe Clinches CAA Tournament Berth Despite Double OT loss to ODU

The College will travel to Towson for the CAA Quarterfinals on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

11/08/07 10:30PM

Williamsburg - After clinching a berth in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament earlier in the day, the William and Mary men’s soccer team dropped a double overtime battle with Old Dominion on Thursday night at Albert-Daly Field. Pushing forward in an effort to pull out a victory, the Tribe succumbed to the Monarch pressure with just 2:17 remaining in the second extra period. W&M finished fifth in the CAA standing at 9-8-3 overall and 6-4-1 in the league, while ODU earned a share of the regular season crown with an 11-6-2 mark on the year and an 8-2-1 league ledger.

Earlier in the day, Towson defeated George Mason, 2-0, ensuring the Tribe a spot in the CAA Tournament for the first time since 2004, regardless of its outcome with Old Dominion. Heading into the second overtime period, the muddied league tournament picture became much more clear, turning into either a No. 2 and No. 5 seed in the league tournament for the Tribe. A victory over ODU would have given the Tribe a spot in the semifinals with the No. 2 spot, while a loss or tie would have the same effect sending W&M on the road for a quarterfinal match at the No. 5 seed.

With that in mind, the Tribe pushed forward in search of the game-winning goal in the second overtime period, converting its normal 4-4-2 formation to more of a 3-5-2 look. Earlier in the second extra session, the move seemed to pay dividends as the Tribe controlled the pace and attacked the ODU defensive third.

The move would backfire though late in the second overtime. The Monarchs played the ball wide down the right flank to midfielder A.J. Kulp. He sent a low bounding cross toward the penalty mark, where fellow linksman Bobby Foglesong corralled it. He cut back to the left to elude a defender, before beating Tribe goalkeeper Andrew McAdams to the left post.

Old Dominion held a 16-5 advantage in the shots during the match, but the dangerous scoring chances were fairly even. ODU put six shots on goal compared to three for W&M, while the Tribe also rang an attempt off the crossbar in the second half. Each team finished with three corner kicks.

The Monarchs had the first chance on goal of the contest in the sixth minute of play. Following a W&M foul on the left side of the field, 25 yards from goal, Trevor Banks and Kulp stood over an ODU free kick. Banks took the chance and hit a shot toward the near post that McAdams made the easy save.

A minute later, the Tribe narrowly missed connecting on a breakaway chance. The ball was played through from the midfield, attempting to set forward Alan Koger free on the break. The redshirt freshman striker had a step on his defender, but Old Dominion goalkeeper Evan Newton got there just in time as he slid out to knock the ball over the touch line for a throw-in.

The Monarch most dangerous chance of the opening half came in the 11th minute of play. Following a 20-yard free kick on the right side, Kulp sent an inswinger into the mixer. The ball was deflected out to the left, but was flicked back into the left side of the penalty area. The ball fell to Banks, who lift a shot toward the right side of the frame from 12 yards out. McAdams did well to get a paw to it and lift the attempt high of the goal for a corner kick.

First half sub Derek Buckley narrowly missed getting on a pair of services in the 37th minute. The Tribe rookie just missed a header off a long free kick from junior midfielder Doug McBride at the top of the 18. The ball deflected back out to McBride, who sent another lofting service into the penalty area. A streaking Buckley just missed the toe-poke before Newton gathered the ball.

It was Buckley who would take the College’s first shot of the game in the 39th minute. Sophomore back Roger Bothe played the ball into Buckley along the left side of the 18, but an ODU defender deflected the Buckley’s shot wide of the frame for a corner kick.

Off the corner kick, the defense cleared the ball out, but it was gathered by sophomore forward Price Thomas. The Charlottesville, Va., native made a pair of impressive jukes to gain space, before finding senior midfielder Ryan Overdevest on a run into the left side of the penalty area. Overdevest ripped a shot toward the near post, but despite a deflection from an ODU defender, Newton corralled the chance.

W&M had two more dangerous chances in the second half that nearly results in goals. In the 59th minute of play, McAdams sent a long punt just over the midfield stripe to Buckley, who, with a defender on his back, flipped the ball to his right to Thomas. The Tribe’s leading scorer then played the ball down the left side to streaking senior midfielder Doug Ernst. As Ernst entered the penalty area, Newton came off his line, and the Tribe midfielder sent a shot toward the center of the frame. The Monarch goalkeeper got a hand to it, parrying it wide before gathering the rebound.

Freshman midfielder Nathaniel Baako came painstakingly close to his first collegiate goal in the 72nd minute. After Thomas made a run with the ball at his feet toward the end line on the left side, he sent a cross to the back post. An unmarked Baako headed the cross toward the center of the frame, but it rang off the crossbar. Ernst eventually corralled the rebound and sent a low roller back on goal, but Newton made the easy save.

McAdams finished with five saves in goal for the Tribe, bringing his season total to 92. That number ranks sixth on the W&M single-season saves list. Ernst led the Tribe with a pair of shots, both of which were on goal.

The Tribe will travel to Towson for the CAA Tournament quarterfinals on Tuesday, Nov. 13. Game time is slated for a 2 p.m. kick off. The last time the two teams met, Towson tallied a 1-0 overtime victory over the College.

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