Nov. 23, 2007

Big Second Half Propels Men's Soccer to NCAA Second Round

The Virginia men's soccer team rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit Friday, scoring three second-half goals while dominating play en route to a 3-1 win over Saint Peter's in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament. The Cavaliers (12-7-2) advance to meet No. 15-seed West Virginia Wednesday in Morgantown, W.Va. Saint Peter's ends its season with a 15-6-1 mark.

Chris Tierney finished with a goal and an assist for Virginia, while Jeremy Barlow added two assists.

After falling behind 1-0 in the first half and being out-shot, Virginia came alive in the second stanza. The Cavaliers put a barrage of shots on Saint Peter's goalkeeper Matthew Lawlor, recording 17 shots in the half to just two for the Peacocks.

Virginia knotted the score in the 51st minute as Ross LaBauex took a Tierney throw-in and headed it past Lawlor.

Rennie And 13 Seniors Finish Duke Careers With 1-0 Defeat In NCAA Tournament

The illustrious and storied career of head coach John Rennie came to an end on Friday night, as the Louisville Cardinals edged the Duke Blue Devils, 1-0, on a cold night at Cardinal Park in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Rennie has served 35 years as a collegiate head coach, including 29 seasons at the helm of the Blue Devils. Thirteen seniors also saw their athletic careers at Duke come to an emotional end.

"It's not so much the loss but the fact that my entire career here at Duke soccer-wise has come to an end," said senior defender and captain Tim Jepson. "It's humbling, it's real humbling. The thing I'm sad most about is that I'm not going to be with these guys every day anymore. I've been around these guys every day for the past four years and you build such a brotherhood and just the fact that in terms of soccer that's gone. Just thinking about that is the hardest thing right now."

In the first period, the Blue Devils and Cardinals went back and forth, each with a few good chances. It would be Louisville that would capitalize on one of its opportunities, when in the 28th minute Marco Terminesi played a quick cross from the left to Frank Jonke, who had sprinted up the middle and was just onside when the ball was played to him. Jonke took one touch forward and ripped a shot to the left corner of the net from 20 yards out that beat junior goalkeeper Brendan Fitzgerald.