Nov. 14, 2008

Box Score

Lewis 0, Rockhurst 0 ((2 OT) Lewis wins 4-1 in shootout) in PDF Format

Kansas City, Mo. – After losing in a shootout in the opening round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference quarterfinals, the Lewis University men’s soccer team was not going to be denied again.

   After battling to a scoreless tie for the second straight match against Rockhurst, Lewis advanced to the NCAA Midwest Regional Finals with a 4-1 shootout win over the top-seeded Hawks at Bourke Field. The Flyers will battle No. 2 seed Northern Kentucky at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, for the right to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals.  

   Lewis, who has not been beaten in 13 matches, is currently 14-1-3 on the season, while Rockhurst ends the season with a record of 16-1-4.  This marks the first time that Lewis has advanced in the NCAA Tournament since the Flyers defeated Wheeling Jesuit, 1-0, in the NCAA Quarterfinals on November 18, 2000.

   “It was a great battle between two very good teams with a lot on the line,” Lewis University head coach Evan Fiffles said. “We’ll celebrate tonight, but we’ll have to get back to work tomorrow, because there’s a lot of work to be done to get ready for Sunday.”

   Less than a month ago, both Lewis and Rockhurst battled to a scoreless tie, but in Friday’s first-round match, a winner would be determined.

   Lewis senior midfielder Cory Mastey (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) stepped up against GLVC Defensive Player of the Year, Rockhurst goaltender Chad Becker and promptly found the back of the net, giving the Flyers the 1-0 lead in the shootout.

   Rockhurst’s Kyle Miller hit the left post on the Hawks’ first attempt, giving Lewis the 1-0 advantage after one round. Lewis sophomore forward Mardoche Beya (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) snuck one past Becker for the Flyers’ second round shot and Flyers’ goaltender Anthony Szymel (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) stoned Rockhurst’s Tom Heinemann to extend the lead to 2-0 after two rounds.

   Both teams scored in the third round, before Lewis junior forward Charlie Bucio (Chicago, Ill./Juarez) clinched the 4-1 shootout win for the Flyers.

   A Catholic University sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis offers nearly 80 undergraduate majors and programs of study, accelerated degree completion options for working adults, various aviation programs and 22 graduate programs in nine fields. The mid-sized university is being honored for the fifth consecutive year by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. For more information please visit www.lewisu.edu.                                                

##LEWIS##