Men's Soccer Falls in BIG EAST Quarterfinals to Providence

Eliseo Giusfredi

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Seton Hall men’s soccer team came up short against Providence in the BIG EAST Quarterfinals, losing a penalty-kick shootout after the teams were deadlocked, 2-2, following regulation and two overtimes on Saturday afternoon at Owen T. Carroll Field. The 21st-ranked Pirates were looking to advance out of the quarterfinals for the second straight season, but the Friars prevailed in the penalty-kick shootout, 4-2.

Seton Hall was playing on its home field in the BIG EAST postseason for just the second time ever and controlled play early on. The Pirates got on the board in the 41st minute when junior Sacha Kljestan (Huntington Beach, Calif.) took a cross out of the air from freshman Christian Vercollone (Pembroke, Mass.) and one-timed it into the right side of the net for a 1-0 lead. Unfazed, Providence leveled the score two minutes later when Derek Norega was left alone on the left side of the box after a long cross from Michael Narciso. Nobrega settled the ball and chipped it over junior Ian Joyce to tie the score. PC nearly took a lead with less than a minute to play in the half, but Scott Hankard’s free kick from 25 yards deflected off the crossbar.

The Friars took the lead in the 60th minute when Alex Bury’s free kick from 28 yards deflected off a Seton Hall player into the net for a 2-1 advantage. The Pirates managed to tie the game in the 73rd minute when junior David Roman (Monroeville, N.J.) sent a pass ahead for sophomore Yomar Gonzalez (Lodi, N.J.). Gonzalez settled the ball on the endline and sent a cross into the front of the net where freshman Eliseo Giusfredi (Paterson, N.J.) nodded home the pass to even the score.

Seton Hall and Providence both had chances in overtime. The Friars had the first chance in the 96th minute after Ryan Maduro’s shot was deflected across the box to Timothy Ritter who had a chance at a header at the far post, but junior Matt Gilbert came back to clear the ball off the line. The Pirates got their chance in the second overtime when Kljestan slipped a pass to junior Teddy Niziolek who was unguarded on the right wing, but he sent his shot wide.

In the shootout, after Eoin Lynch made PC’s first chance, Chris Konopka stopped SHU’s Gordon Kljestan on his chance. Nobrega and Kljestan each converted on the next round, before SHU got a chance to level the tally after Maduro sent his shot off the crossbar. Giusfredi drew SHU even on his attempt. After Bury gave PC the lead, Konopka stopped Christos Zisimatos’ attempt and the Friars won when Zach Tobin put his shot past a diving Ian Joyce.

The Pirates will now await an at-large bid to make their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. The 48-team tournament field will be announced on Monday, Nov. 14, between 4:00 and 4:30 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY
1 2 OT 2OT F
Providence (6-3-8) 1 1 0 0 -- 2
#21 Seton Hall (12-3-3) 1 1 0 0 -- 2

40:47 SHU Sacha Kljestan (9) (C. Vercollone, J. McGrath)
42:19 PC Derek Nobrega (3) (M. Narciso)
59:43 PC Alex Bury (1)
72:47 SHU Eliseo Giusfredi (11) (Y. Gonzalez, D. Roman)

STAT SUMMARY
Shots: SHU 19; PC 17
Corner Kicks: SHU 5; PC 9
Offsides: SHU 3; PC 2
Saves: SHU 6 (Ian Joyce 5, Team 1); PC 8 (Chris Konopka 8)