Category: Story

MEN’S NEWS … The hottest duo in the men’s ranks is UMBC’s Andrew Bulls and Levi Houapeu.

For the third straight game, Bulls had two goals, while Houapeu added three assists in the Retrievers’ 3-1 win over St. Francis (Pa.) that improved their record to 4-0-0, making them the first Division I men’s team to win four games. Bulls, a sophomore, now has seven goals and four assists in four games. Houapeu, a junior, has four goals and six assists.

Their reputations as scoring threats extend beyond the college game. Bulls’ goal for the Baltimore Bays was named the 2008 Goal of the Year in the first year of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy. Houapeu was named to the all-tournament representing D.C. United this summer at the Super-20 men’s championships.

UMBC’s 4-0-0 start is the program’s best since the 1999 season. It will host Mount St. Mary’s Saturday in the final game of the adidas Kick Off Classic.

* OFF TO EGYPT. Goalie Brian Perk and midfielder Michael Stephens played their last game for UCLA Thursday night before leading off to Cyprus, where the USA will begin preparations Sunday for the Under-20 World Cup beginning later this month in Egypt. Both played 79 minutes before coming out in the Bruins’ 4-0 win over UC Davis.

The Bruins should make do without their seniors thanks to one of the deepest squads to grace Westwood in the program’s long history. That was evident Thursday night as freshmen Chandler Hoffman and Evan Raynr combined for three goals off the bench. Brian Rowe, who did not have to make a save in his 20 minutes of action Thursday, will assume starting goalkeeper duties while Perk is away.

* U-20 COLLEGIANS:
Brian Perk (UCLA)
Aaron Maund (Notre Dame)
Ike Opara (Wake Forest)
Brian Ownby (Virginia)
Dillon Powers (Notre Dame)
Michael Stephens (UCLA)

Thursday’s Scoreboard

* WEEKEND TOP 25 ACTION:
Friday, Sept. 11
No. 6 Dartmouth vs. No. 18 Connecticut (Nike Hypertherm Classic)
No. 21 Virginia vs. No. 20 Duke

Saturday, Sept. 12
No. 2 North Carolina vs. No. 19 N.C. State

WOMEN’S SOCCER … UCF knocked No. 5 Florida State from the unbeaten ranks Thursday when it defeated the Seminoles, 1-0, on Courtney Whidden‘s golden goal on a header off fellow senior Becca Thomas‘ free kick that touched off a massive celebration among the fans in a school record crowd of 1,142 in Orlando.

“I knew we could do it,” said Whidden. “This team has worked so hard and finally we are getting recognition. We are showing everybody that we need to be ranked. We got what we deserved tonight.”

UCF (4-1-1) had already beaten one ranked ACC team, defeating Duke, 3-2, on Stacie Hubbard‘s late goal off another set piece. The Knights’ only loss was a 4-0 defeat at No. 1 North Carolina.

“Credit to UCF,” said FSU coach Mark Krikorian.  “They came in, had a great game plan and were very organized.  They were disciplined in their defending and limited our chances.  I would say it was a fair result for the game.”
 
Thursday’s Scoreboard

* WEEKEND TOP 25 ACTION:
Friday, Sept. 11
No. 2 Stanford vs. No. 8 Purdue (Santa Clara Tournament)
No. 3 Portland vs. No. 20 Illinois (Nike Portland Invitational)
No. 10 Wake Forest vs. No. 23 Penn State (UConn Classic)
No. 16 Virginia vs. No. 15 West Virginia (Virginia Nike Classic)

Saturday, Sept. 12
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 21 Texas A&M

Sunday, Sept. 13
No. 2 Stanford vs. No. 7 Notre Dame (Santa Clara Classic)
No. 4 Florida State vs. No. 24 UAB

* INJURY REPORT. Cincinnati lost defender Logan Ballinger with a season-ending injury in Sunday’s match against South Carolina. The junior, the Bearcats’ second-leading scorer when she was injured, will seek a medical redshirt.

SMALL COLLEGE NEWS … Jim Regan played at Bethany College, where he was enshrined in its Hall of Fame in 2005. Son Seth was an all-conference selection for Wheeling Jesuit.

On Wednesday night, they squared off when Wheeling beat Bethany, 5-1, but they switched sides (VIDEO). Jim is in his 27th season as the head coach at Wheeling Jesuit and needs only four more wins to reach the 300 mark in his career. Sean, in his first season as the head coach at Bethany, is still seeking his first win. The Bison is 0-4-0.

“Most people dream of playing professionally,” Seth told woaktv.com, “but when I was little, I never missed one of my dad’s games and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Now to be the head coach at Bethany where he played and run the program that John Cunningham, who was like a second grandfather to me, started, is a dream come true.”

COLLEGE CUP NEWS … Regions Park, the 10,000-seat home of the Double-A Birmingham Barons, hasn’t never hosted a soccer game, but that isn’t stopping the city of Hoover, Ala., from bidding for the 2011 and 2012 Men’s and Women’s College Cups, which will be held jointly for the first time.

Alabama Sports Foundation President Gene Hallman is pushing Hoover as a warm-weather option for the final fours, which have been plagued through the years by cold weather,

“We were told they were looking for a place where they can establish roots on a long-term basis,” Hallman told the Birmingham News. “The city of Hoover is very aggressive going after these types of events. Our intention is to make the bid so attractive that they reward it to Hoover for two years.”