Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
9-4-6
SIU-Edwardsville
8-8-4
Team Stats
SCHEIPETER, Paul (1)
GOAL by SIUE SCHEIPETER, Paul (FIRST GOAL), goal number 1 for season.
80:50
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Wildcats Fall 1-0 To SIUE In NCAA Tournament
11/20/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Despite dominating possession and playing the majority of the game in the offensive half of the field, the Wildcats were eliminated from the 2014 NCAA Tournament on Thursday night in a 1-0 loss to SIU-Edwardsville.
The first half of the match was a tentative affair for both sides, as the two teams felt one another out on a frigid night at Lakeside Field. The temperature started in the mid-20's and dropped considerably after the sun went down following the 4:30pm kickoff, with 15mph winds out of the west.
The Wildcats best opportunity of the first half came early on when Henry Herrill bent a left-footed cross into the box to Mike Roberge, whose solid header was swallowed up by the SIUE keeper. Northwestern had four free kicks in the SIUE half of the field in the opening 45 minutes but all of them came from more than 35-yards out. The two teams reached the halftime break with Northwestern holding a 3-2 edge in shots.
It was clear from the opening minutes of the second half that the Wildcats had decided to force the attack to SIUE. Cole Missimo was denied twice in the 48th minute, and shortly thereafter Joey Calistri lost a pair of footraces with the Cougars netminder for through balls that were sent just a bit too far. The junior from Deerfield, Ill., finished the match with a game-high five shots, three of which were on goal.
A 61st minute corner kick created a scramble in front of the SIUE net where not one, not two, but three Wildcats shots were blocked by defenders before getting to goal. In the 71st, Calistri eluded a defender and sent a shot on goal from in tight that eluded the goalkeeper but was cleared off the line by the head of an SIUE defender to keep the score level. 75 minutes into the match, the Wildcats had a 14-5 edge in shots.
In the 80th minute, however, an unlucky bounce provided the visitors with the break they needed. A sliding Wildcats defender denied an SIUE shot but the ball ricocheted to Cougars sophomore midfielder Paul Scheipeter inside 10 yards, who finished with his left foot to the back post for a 1-0 advantage.
Northwestern threw everything they had towards the attack over the final 10 minutes, but were unable to find an equalizer.
2014 marked the fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the Wildcats senior class, a group anchored by the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year Tyler Miller, who had six saves in the match, and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Nikko Boxall.
SIUE will move on to the second round to take on the California Golden Bears in Berkeley on Sunday, Nov. 23.
The NCAA Tournament semifinals and championship match will be played at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, on Dec. 12 and Dec. 14, respectively, with the matches being aired live on ESPNU and WatchESPN.
