Kansas City
Tulsa
UMKC Battles But Can't Prevail, Falling 1-0 to #5 Tulsa
11/21/2008 10:45:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Tulsa, Okla. -- After weathering a high-pressure Tulsa offense in the first half, the UMKC men's soccer team looked to be turning the momentum in the final half-hour of the match before an 80th-minute goal against the run of play sent the Kangaroos out of the first round of the 2008 NCAA Men's College Cup.
The teams battled through the opening quarter-hour, with UMKC's Miguel Rodrigues looking to create the first chance of the match. Unfortunately his cross in the 13th minute sailed through the middle of the field without finding a Kangaroo attacker.
Tulsa took control of the match, but the UMKC defense was able to keep the Golden Hurricane from creating many good chances, yielding 23 shots, but only four of the efforts were on frame.
UMKC had a dangerous chance in the 21st minute, as Caleb Mitchell was fouled eight yards off the left corner-kick spot. The free kick was curled into the far post, with Brian Harris able to get his head on the ball, but the shot just skipped outside the right post.
Mitchell looked to be alone in on the keeper after edging past his defender, but the referee's whistle cut out the breakaway as the Ottawa, Kan., native was judged to have committed a foul.
UMKC was able to muster one last chance in the first half, but the teams went into the locker room locked at 0-0.
Coming out of the break, the Kangaroos looked to push the attack. Harris looked to have a quick chance on the counter in the 48th minute, but the play was whistled dead as he pushed the ball ahead with his midsection and forearm.
Levi Coleman was lucky to escape a yellow card in the 57th minute, as he was whistled for a foul on the left wing as Tulsa looked to break in on goal. On the ensuing free kick, Ken Cooper came up with a pair of outstanding saves to keep the game tied at 0-0, coming up big again after the ball was pushed wide for a Tulsa throw.
In the 63rd minute, UMKC began to swing the momentum in its favor, as Bryan Perez tried to dribble past a pair of defenders but had the ball poked away. Harris created another dangerous chance in the 67th minute, but couldn't find anyone with his cross from the left side of the box.
Coleman found a streaking Diego Rojas down the right wing in the 73rd minute, with the freshman earning a corner that nearly changed the complexion of the game for the Blue-and-Gold. The first corner was cleared, but on the second, the ball came out to Rojas, whose shot went through a crowd before deflecting off a Tulsa defender. The loose ball fell to Harris' feet, but the senior wasn't quite able to get a quality touch on the ball, popping his effort over the bar.
Tulsa took the lead on a counter in the 80th minute, as Eric Defreitas found Jose Parada at the top of the six-yard box with the Kangaroo defense unable to cover in time.
With the lead, the Golden Hurricane looked content to sit back and defend, but the Kangaroos were unable to break down the bunker as the game wound down.
UMKC finishes the 2008 season with a 10-7-3 record, as Cooper matched his career-high with nine saves in the match. Tulsa moves to 16-3-3 on the season and advances to play Creighton in Omaha, Neb., on Tuesday.
