Nov. 5, 2008

Box Score

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Junior back Bryan Minogue (Miller Place, N.Y.) scored his first career goal with 1:23 remaining in the second half to lead the Providence College men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Villanova in the BIG EAST Championship First round Wednesday afternoon at Glay Field. With the victory, the Friars (9-6-3) advance to the quarterfinals where they will face third-ranked St. John's on Saturday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m. in Jamaica, N.Y. Villanova completes the season with a 7-10-2 mark.

With the score deadlocked at 1-1 and sudden victory overtime looming, Providence earned a corner kick. Freshman Chris Stoker (Holden, Mass.), who had just come into the game as a substitute, drove the corner kick and Minogue headed the ball that was blocked by a defender. The ball bounced right back to Minogue who then fired a right-footed volley past Villanova goalkeeper Chris Bresnahan.

The Wildcats had a chance to break the 1-1 tie in the 65th minute when Matt Margiotta gained possession of the ball in the box and fired a left-footed shot that glanced off the upper left post. The Friars then responded in the 68th minute when senior Michael Narciso (Livingston, N.J.) beat a defender to the ball, before ripping a shot from 20 yards out, but Bresnahan made a diving save with his left hand. On the ensuing corner kick, junior Timothy Ritter (Weston, Mass.) fired a header that missed wide.

The Friars opened the scoring in the 38th minute on a set piece from the left side of the box. Senior Ryan Maduro (Bristol, R.I.) played a cross to the near post and Ritter was able to re-direct the ball with the top of his head and into the net. It marked Ritter's team leading fifth goal of the season. However, the Wildcats responded with 52 seconds left in the second half as Michael Seamon recorded his team-leading fourth goal of the season. PC goalkeeper Timothy Ritter (Haverhill, Mass.) came off his line and made a diving effort in an attempt to thwart a through ball. However, the ball bounced off his body and Seamon was able to gain possession of it 18 yards from the goal. Seamon put a touch on the ball before firing a low right-footed shot into the lower right corner of the net to even the score at 1-1. The Friars created two scoring chances just before the halftime whistle as sophomore Matt Marcin (Wilmington, Del.) was open at the back post but his header was pushed aside by Bresnahan. On the ensuing corner kick, Maduro fired a right-footed volley, but Bresnahan was there to make the save.

Villanova finished with a 15-11 advantage in shots, as Murray finished with three saves and Bresnahan recorded five stops.