PDL Feature
Monday, December 2, 2013
TAMPA, Fla. – Sounders FC U-23 defender Ian Lange scored the only goal as the University of Washington’s dream season continued with a 1-0 victory against Stanford on Sunday night to send the Huskies into the Elite Eight of the NCAA Men’s Division I Tournament at Husky Soccer Stadium. Lange was one of a number of current and former PDL players to have a major impact as the postseason closed toward its final two weekends.
In blustery conditions, a late set piece proved the difference between the Pac-12 rivals. A long flip-throw by Michael Harris sent the ball into the center of the penalty area, where Lange was on hand to head home to give the Huskies victory. The goal was Lange’s fourth of the season, and sent No. 2-seed Washington to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.
The Huskies will face No. 7-seed New Mexico in the quarterfinals after a goal by former Jersey Express defender Oneil Fisher helped the Lobos earn a 2-0 victory against Penn State. New Mexico put in a complete performance, with former Real Colorado Foxes defender Kyle Venter playing a key role as the Nittany Lions were held to five shots, none of which were on target.
The Michigan Bucks’ Adam Montague provided the only goal as Michigan State pulled an upset of No. 6-seed Georgetown to advance. Montague, who had two goals and two assists this summer for the Bucks, scored the only goal just before the half-hour mark as the Spartans advanced to face No. 3-seed Notre Dame in the next round.
The Fighting Irish advanced with a 4-2 victory against Wake Forest as Chicago Fire U-23 forward Harrison Shipp continued his strong season. The Baltimore Bohemian’s Michael Gamble had given the Demon Deacons the lead, but Notre Dame fought back to take a 2-1 lead before Gamble set up former Reading United midfielder Tolani Ibikunle to tie the game just past the hour mark. Goals by Evan Panken and Shipp’s 12th of the season, however, gave the Fighting Irish the goals they needed to advance.
Former New Orleans Jesters standout Patrick Mullins had the only goal of the game in his final appearance at Maryland’s Ludwig Field as the No. 5-seed Terrapins took a 1-0 win against UC Irvine. Mullins’ first-half goal was his 16th of the season, and set up a trip to face No. 4-seed Cal, which advanced to the Elite Eight with a 1-0 win against Coastal Carolina as former Orange County Blue Star forward Alec Sundly had the only goal of the game.
In the final quarter of the bracket, Virginia got second-half goals from Reading United’s Darius Madison and former Fredericksburg Hotspur player Todd Wharton as it advanced with a 3-1 win against Marquette. The Cavaliers will host Connecticut in the quarterfinals after the Huskies upset No. 1-seed UCLA on penalty kicks after coming back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-3 draw on a pair of goals by Cyle Larin.