University of Connecticut Athletics
No. 5 UConn Upset by No. 20 Notre Dame
10/20/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
SOUTH BEND, IN (October 20) – Three-second half goals lifted the No. 20 nationally ranked Fighting Irish of Notre Dame to a 3-1 upset over the No. 5 University of Connecticut men’s soccer at Alumni Field on Sunday afternoon in South Bend, IN. The loss broke Connecticut’s seven game win streak dropping the Huskies to 11-3-0 overall, 5-2-0 in the BIG EAST. Notre Dame used the upset to win its fourth straight game to improve to 8-3-3 overall, 4-2-1 in the league.
UConn controlled the tempo of the game in the first half out shooting the Irish, 6-0, and scoring the lone goal of the half. Sophomore transfer Andres Rota (Kingswood, TX), who had come in off the bench, scored his first goal as a Husky at the 23:19 mark. Senior Anthony Curtis (Kingston, Jamaica) sent a through pass to Rota, who sent the ball in from ten-yards out for the score.
The tables turned in the second half, as Notre Dame came out strong, out shooting the Huskies, 8-2. Greg Martin notched the first two goals of the half, including the game-winner. Martin’s first goal came 1:49 into the second stanza, on a penalty kick, after Curtis committed a foul in UConn’s defensive box. The game-winner was scored at the 53:41 mark of the game, another unassisted goal, on a chipped loose ball after a throw-in. Erich Braun topped off the Irish scoring with 45-seconds left in regulation to give Notre Dame the 3-1 win. He knocked in a centering pass from the right side off of Rafael Garcia. UConn’s only two shots of the half were taken by Cesar Cuellar (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) and Curtis within the first six-minutes of play. The Huskies were held without a shot on net for the last 38:25 of regulation.
Adam Schuerman (Brookfield, WI) had two saves in the loss, while Chris Sawyer also stopped two shots on goal for the Irish. Both teams had eight shots on goals, while UConn committed 17 fouls and was awarded three yellow cards to Notre Dame’s nine fouls and one yellow card. The last time the Huskies gave up three goals this season was in their 3-2 season opener loss at Seton Hall.
Connecticut will take on No. 3 nationally ranked and BIG EAST rival St. John’s at the St. John’s Nike Tournament on Friday, October 25 at 8:00 pm at Belson Stadium in Jamaica, NY.
