BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference still belongs to Post University Men's Soccer after Head Coach
Ted Haley's team won their fifth consecutive CACC Championship over three-seeded University of Bridgeport on Sunday afternoon down at Knights Field in Bridgeport, 3-1.
This is the sixth time in the history of the Post University Men's Soccer program in which the Eagles have come out on top with the first coming back during the 2008 season which was Haley's fourth season with the program.
Arguably the Eagles' best season in program history in terms of win-loss record and conference record heading now into the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Tournament, Post finished 13-1-5 overall and 9-0-2 in conference play. The overall mark gave them their highest win percentage in program history and the conference mark was only the second time in program history they went undefeated in conference play, last doing it in 2012 when they went 8-0-3.
THE BASICS
#11 Post University 3, University of Bridgeport 1
#11 Post University (13-1-5)
University of Bridgeport (10-7-3)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Things would not be easy early on for the Eagles as freshman midfielder Joao Miranda scored the opening goal of the championship, heading it past junior goalkeeper
Soren Jensen in the fourth minute after junior midfielder Lucas Sousa's corner kick caromed off of him in the box.
But the Eagles would have a response after sophomore forward
Aritz Uriate's shot went off the right post and goalkeeper Hugo Franceschi thought it was going out of play. Franceschi would be caught off guard by streaking graduate midfielder
Andrea Berti would fired it into the top right corner in the 18
th minute, tying the game up at one all. Both goalkeepers would regain their composure the rest of the way with Jensen not needing to make another stop and Franceschi totaling up two after 45 minutes.
What would end up being a critical juncture in the match when things were all set and done would come in the 54
th minute as a handball in the box by the Purple Knights defense set up graduate midfielder
Nick Anagnostiadis for a penalty kick which he would convert on to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
Only six minutes later graduate forward
Gentian Selimi would cushion that lead after Anagnostiadis found junior defender
Omar Florindo on the left side of the pitch. Florindo would rainbow the ball across the box to Selimi who came flying in for the header and the 3-1 lead with just under 30 ½ minutes remaining in regulation.
Facing just two second-half shots from Bridgeport, Jensen would stop both scoring chances the Purple Knights sent his way and the Eagles would be back on top of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference for the fifth straight year with a 3-1 victory.
Andrea Berti was named the CACC Tournament's Most Valuable Player as well as to the CACC Men's Soccer All-Tournament Team alongside sophomore midfielder
Markus Boe Tunge,
Soren Jensen,
Omar Florindo,
Nick Anagnostiadis, and
Aritz Uriate.
BY THE NUMBERS
- Post University is now unbeaten in their last 15 games dating back to their match against Franklin Pierce on 9/11/23
- Seven yellow cards were issues throughout the match including six in the second half while both teams combined for 30 fouls with Post having 17 fouls and Bridgeport having 13 fouls
- Against conference opponents this season, Post University outscored opponents 33-4 overall across their 14 total matches and 12-2 in the postseason
- This was the first meeting between both teams in the CACC Tournament and Bridgeport's first time in the CACC Championship Match in only their second year as part of the conference
WHO'S NEXT
Post University awaits the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Selection Show scheduled to take place tomorrow at 7:00 PM to find out who they will face in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Tournament. A link to the event will be available on the front page of NCAA.com for those who wish to view it.
