University of Connecticut Athletics
Men's Soccer Prepares For NCAA Tournament
11/16/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 16, 2011
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The UConn Soccer Experience
STORRS, Conn. - The UConn men's soccer team earned the No. 3 overall seed in the 2011 NCAA Tournament and will host the NCAA Second Round on Sunday, November 20 at 1 p.m. at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium in Storrs. UConn will play the winner of the Stony Brook vs. Monmouth match taking place Thursday night.
Tickets are available at the UConn Ticket Center (CLICK HERE) or by calling 1-877-AT-UCONN. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for youths and seniors.
With the NCAA Second Round right around the corner, take a look back at some of the season highlights for the 2011 Huskies.
UConn scheduled 10 opponents that competed in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. That incredible schedule strength helped the Huskies earn the No. 3 overall seed in this year's field. Connecticut jumped right into the stiff competition with a pair of home matches against Michigan State and then-No. 7 California.
The Huskies routed California, 4-1, behind a hat trick from Mamadou Doudou Diouf, propelling the sophomore forward to BIG EAST Player of the Week honors.
Against Michigan State it was Max Wasserman, a surprise starter throughout the season at left back after serving as a midfielder his first two years, serving as the hero. Wasserman buried a direct free kick from 25 yards out to give the Huskies the 2-1 victory in the 76th minute. Check out the call by John Tuite on the UConn student radio network, WHUS.org/91.7 fm, by CLICKING HERE.
The Huskies entered the contest against arch rival St. John's in the BIG EAST opener on September 24 with a perfect 7-0 record and a No. 2 national ranking. The Red Storm came in at No. 12. In front of a sell-out crowd of 5,100 fans, Connecticut trumped the Johnnies by two goals with freshman Allando Matheson coming off the bench to put home the game winner in the 74th minute. Diouf would put the game to rest with an insurance tally in the 90th minute.
Hear the call from WHUS as Carlos Alvarez drives a ball into the box for the game's opening goal by CLICKING HERE.
UConn mixed in a non-conference game in late September to face in-state rival Yale on September 27. The Huskies came into the game with the target on their back and the No. 1 national ranking. Connecticut outshot the Bulldogs, 25-9, but it was an unlikely hero giving the home fans the result they wanted with just 1:01 remaining in double overtime. Hear the call as Nickardo Blake scores the game-winning goal by CLICKING HERE.
The drama continued for Connecticut with the first of two games against the preseason No.1 team in the country, Louisville, on October 1. UConn hit the road for the highly anticipated contest and welcomed a bit of luck as Louisville's Kenney Walker skied a penalty kick over the bar before Stephane Diop scored in double overtime to give UConn the road win. Hear it HERE.
The Huskies ended the regular season at 14-2-2 and hosted DePaul in the BIG EAST Opening Round. After cruising to a 4-0 result, Mamadou Doudou Diouf aptly stated, "This gives us a lot of confidence. We want to be the hunter when we play. Not the hunted team because we are ranked high. I don't want to be sitting at home on Thanksgiving, I want to be playing. When we get ahead early, it opens the game up. When we get ahead like that, I don't think anyone can beat us."
UConn would go on the road to face a tough Rutgers team in Piscataway, N.J. for the BIG EAST Quarterfinals. A hard-fought game saw the Huskies come out victorious with a 3-1 result. UConn went down 1-0 at 51:10 but evened the score just 1:27 later with a goal from BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year Andrew Jean-Baptiste. Tony Cascio scored the game winner at 60:34 and Diop put the game away with a beautiful goal at 83:22, dribbling past several defenders beginning at half field to send UConn to Red Bull Arena. Hear the call HERE.
UConn defeated Louisville in the BIG EAST Semifinals, 1-0, with another brilliant effort from Diop setting up a rematch against the Red Storm for the BIG EAST Tournament Championship. Watch the goal HERE.
The Huskies had several chances throughout the contest but dropped a heartbreaking 1-0 defeat in overtime. Check out the highlights HERE.
Connecticut comes into the NCAA Second Round match against either Stony Brook or Monmouth with a 17-3-2 mark and the No. 3 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
