USL College Round-Up
Monday, November 21, 2011
USL PDL All-League selection Chandler Hoffman scored the only goal as UCLA moved into the third round of the NCAA Division I Men’s Tournament with a 1-0 victory against Delaware on Sunday night, capping a weekend that saw numerous USL PDL alumni play key roles in helping their colleges advance from the opening weekend.
Hoffman, who had a standout summer for the Orange County Blue Star, scored in the 84th minute to lift the No. 13-seed Bruins into the next round. The Bruins were then able to hold on for victory, with Hoffman’s OCSB teammate Joe Sofia playing a key role in the center of defense.
Staying out west, Orange County Blue Star’s Luis Silva and the Long Island Rough Riders’ Dom Sarle each had goals as UC Santa Barbara moved into the third round with a 3-2 victory against Providence on Sunday night. The No. 15-seed Gauchos got an early lead through Silva in the sixth minute, and Sarle provided what proved to be a necessary insurance goal in the second half as the Friars rallied to make it a one-goal game inside the last 10 minutes.
The Gauchos will now face No. 2 seed Creighton, which cruised past Northern Illinois as former Chicago Fire Premier standout Ethan Finlay scored twice in a 3-0 victory. Reading United goalkeeper Brian Holt recorded the shutout, the 42nd of his career and eighth consecutive this season. Holt has conceded just four goals this season, giving him a goals-against average of 0.19.
No. 1 seed North Carolina narrowly avoided being upset in the second round, but goals by former Michigan Bucks player Ben Speas and Reading United midfielder Kirk Urso helped the Tar Heels rally for a 3-2 victory against Coastal Carolina.
UNC-Charlotte was one team that managed to cause an upset, with Hamilton Rage F.C.’s Evan James scoring the opening goal for the 49ers in their 3-1 victory against No. 11-seed UAB. The 49ers will now face Akron, who also sprung an upset with a 3-2 victory against No. 5 seed SMU, in one of only two matches featuring a pair of unseeded teams in the round of 16.
Michigan Bucks standout Luke Holmes had a goal for the Zips, while Darren Mattocks scored twice, and while the Mustangs tried to rally, former DFW Tornadoes standout Arthur Ivo pulling his side within a goal on a penalty with seven minutes to go, the defending national champion advanced.