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NCAA News Archive - 2006
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UC Santa Barbara emerges to claim first Men's College Cup
Gauchos gouge longtime rival UCLA’s attempt to win 100th NCAA team championship
The NCAA News
Gauchos gouge longtime rival UCLA’s attempt to win 100th NCAA team championship
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The NCAA News
Before the 2006 NCAA tournament, the UC Santa Barbara men’s soccer team had beaten UCLA just once in 32 meetings. Earlier in the season, the Gauchos fell to the Bruins, 3-1.
The monkey fell way off UC Santa Barbara’s back December 3, however, as the Gauchos topped their Southern California rival in the 2006 Men’s College Cup championship game, 2-1.
The unseeded Gauchos capped a dramatic run to their first national title, beating UCLA less than 24 hours after advancing past Wake Forest on penalty kicks, 4-3, in the semifinals.
The warm-weather teams battled heavy snow, ice and freezing temperatures at Robert R Hermann Stadium in St. Louis that had postponed the semifinal games one day.
“This is as exciting as it can be,” said UC Santa Barbara head coach Tim Vom Steeg. “People can talk about a national championship, but you don’t realize what it’s like until you’re out there. It was thrilling for a lot of reasons.”
Sophomore Nick Perera put the Gauchos on the board in the game’s third minute, banging the team’s first shot of the day off the left post and past UCLA goalkeeper Eric Reed. Junior Tyler Rosenlund found Perera with a cross into the box.
A defensive battle ensued for the remainder of the half and into the second period until the Gauchos grabbed a bit of breathing room with a goal from Eric Avila. After Bryan Byrne found Perera with the ball, the sophomore flicked it forward to Avila, who beat Reed to the bottom left corner of the goal.
UCLA, which was in pursuit of the school’s 100th national championship in all sports, scored its long goal in the 79th minute. Jason Leopoldo cut through traffic and found the back of the net to cut the score to 2-1.
Perera was named the College Cup’s most outstanding offensive player after tallying three goals and two assists during the team’s six tournament games. Perera finished the season with seven goals and four assists.
Andy Iro was named the tournament’s most outstanding defensive player, while goalkeeper Kyle Reynish and midfielders Rosenlund, Avila and Byrne also earned all-tournament honors.
Leopoldo, David Estrada and Tony Beltran achieved all-tournament accolades for the Bruins. Wake Forest’s Marcus Tracy and Bakara Soumare of Virginia also earned honors.
Quarterfinals
UCAL 3, Duke 2(ot); Virginia 3, Notre Dame 2; UC Santa Barb.3, Northwestern 2; Wake Forest 3, Santa Clara 1.
Semifinals
UC Santa Barb. 0 0 0 0 — 0
Wake Forest 0 0 0 0 — 0
Overtime: UC Santa Barb. advances on penalty kicks, 4-3.
Shots: UC Santa Barb. 10, Wake Forest 17. goalkeeper saves:
UC Santa Barb. (Kyle Reynish) 5; Wake Forest (Brian Edwards) 4. Corner kicks: UC Santa Barb. 5; Wake Forest 4.
UCLA……………………………………….0 4—4
Virginia……………………………………...0 0—0
Second half: UCLA—David Estrada (Kyle Nakazawa), 63:54;
UCLA—Estrada, 65:01; UCLA—Chance Myers (Jason
Leopoldo), 83:29; UCLA — Michael Stephens, 88:22;
Shots: UCLA 14, Virginia 8, goalkeeper saves: UCLA (Eric
Reed) 5; Virginia (Ryan Burke) 3. corner kicks: UCLA 4,
Virginia 1.
Championship match
UC Santa Barb. …………………………….0 1—2
UCLA……………………………………….0 1—1
First half: UC Santa Barb. —Nick Perera (Tyler Rosenlund),
2:12a.
Second half: UC Santa Barb. — Eric Avila (Perera, Bryan
Byrne), a60:01, UCLA—Leopoldo (Tony Beltran), 78:56.
Shots: UC Santa Barb. 15, UCLA 11. Goalkeeper saves: UC
Santa Barb. 4 (Reynish); UCLA 7 (Reed). Corner kicks: UC
Santa Barb. 3, UCLA 6.
The monkey fell way off UC Santa Barbara’s back December 3, however, as the Gauchos topped their Southern California rival in the 2006 Men’s College Cup championship game, 2-1.
The unseeded Gauchos capped a dramatic run to their first national title, beating UCLA less than 24 hours after advancing past Wake Forest on penalty kicks, 4-3, in the semifinals.
The warm-weather teams battled heavy snow, ice and freezing temperatures at Robert R Hermann Stadium in St. Louis that had postponed the semifinal games one day.
“This is as exciting as it can be,” said UC Santa Barbara head coach Tim Vom Steeg. “People can talk about a national championship, but you don’t realize what it’s like until you’re out there. It was thrilling for a lot of reasons.”
Sophomore Nick Perera put the Gauchos on the board in the game’s third minute, banging the team’s first shot of the day off the left post and past UCLA goalkeeper Eric Reed. Junior Tyler Rosenlund found Perera with a cross into the box.
A defensive battle ensued for the remainder of the half and into the second period until the Gauchos grabbed a bit of breathing room with a goal from Eric Avila. After Bryan Byrne found Perera with the ball, the sophomore flicked it forward to Avila, who beat Reed to the bottom left corner of the goal.
UCLA, which was in pursuit of the school’s 100th national championship in all sports, scored its long goal in the 79th minute. Jason Leopoldo cut through traffic and found the back of the net to cut the score to 2-1.
Perera was named the College Cup’s most outstanding offensive player after tallying three goals and two assists during the team’s six tournament games. Perera finished the season with seven goals and four assists.
Andy Iro was named the tournament’s most outstanding defensive player, while goalkeeper Kyle Reynish and midfielders Rosenlund, Avila and Byrne also earned all-tournament honors.
Leopoldo, David Estrada and Tony Beltran achieved all-tournament accolades for the Bruins. Wake Forest’s Marcus Tracy and Bakara Soumare of Virginia also earned honors.
Quarterfinals
UCAL 3, Duke 2(ot); Virginia 3, Notre Dame 2; UC Santa Barb.3, Northwestern 2; Wake Forest 3, Santa Clara 1.
Semifinals
UC Santa Barb. 0 0 0 0 — 0
Wake Forest 0 0 0 0 — 0
Overtime: UC Santa Barb. advances on penalty kicks, 4-3.
Shots: UC Santa Barb. 10, Wake Forest 17. goalkeeper saves:
UC Santa Barb. (Kyle Reynish) 5; Wake Forest (Brian Edwards) 4. Corner kicks: UC Santa Barb. 5; Wake Forest 4.
UCLA……………………………………….0 4—4
Virginia……………………………………...0 0—0
Second half: UCLA—David Estrada (Kyle Nakazawa), 63:54;
UCLA—Estrada, 65:01; UCLA—Chance Myers (Jason
Leopoldo), 83:29; UCLA — Michael Stephens, 88:22;
Shots: UCLA 14, Virginia 8, goalkeeper saves: UCLA (Eric
Reed) 5; Virginia (Ryan Burke) 3. corner kicks: UCLA 4,
Virginia 1.
Championship match
UC Santa Barb. …………………………….0 1—2
UCLA……………………………………….0 1—1
First half: UC Santa Barb. —Nick Perera (Tyler Rosenlund),
2:12a.
Second half: UC Santa Barb. — Eric Avila (Perera, Bryan
Byrne), a60:01, UCLA—Leopoldo (Tony Beltran), 78:56.
Shots: UC Santa Barb. 15, UCLA 11. Goalkeeper saves: UC
Santa Barb. 4 (Reynish); UCLA 7 (Reed). Corner kicks: UC
Santa Barb. 3, UCLA 6.
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