UIC, Green Bay advance to men's soccer championship match

Nov. 17, 2007

(#4 seed) Green Bay 1, (#1 seed) Loyola 0 Box Score
Chicago, Ill. - Green Bay (11-4-6) scored early in the 51st minute and held strong for its third straight shutout in the semifinal round of the 2007 Horizon League Championship as the Phoenix defeated top-seeded Loyola 1-0 at Loyola Soccer Park.

Tosaint Ricketts scored the match's only goal with 50:01 gone in the contest. Tyler Rosenberg started the play with a throw-in deep in Loyola territory, where Francois Basty flicked the throw with a header. The ball found its way through traffic and settled at Ricketts' feet, where he fired a 10-yard shot past Loyola's Brian Byrne.

Ricketts finished with all three of Green Bay's shots on goal.

Loyola (10-5-4) pressured most of the game and finished with a 14-8 shots advantage. Twice the Ramblers had golden chances to score: in the 30th minute Reed Cataldo sent a point-blank shot over the crossbar and in the 74th minute Tony DeLuca's sliding shot was deflected by the near post. But the Phoenix defense was up to the challenge, holding the Ramblers to just four shots on goal for its third straight shutout in the Horizon League Championship. In those three shutouts, Green Bay has given up just seven shots on goal.

The physical battle featured 42 fouls, including 27 against the Phoenix. Nine cards - including three red cards - were issued on the night, leaving 20 players left on the field at the match's end.

Adam Stikl finished with four saves in the team's 12th shutout of the year. David Prochazka, Rosenberg, Glenn Herzog and Ray Hibbler (Janesville, Wis.) aided in the defensive effort.

The Green Bay win avenges a 3-0 regular season setback to the Ramblers in Chicago as well as a 1-0 loss to Loyola in last year's Horizon League title match.

(#3 seed) UIC 1, (#2 seed) Milwaukee 0 (OT) Box Score
Chicago, Ill. - Freshman Kevin Stoll's goal just four minutes into overtime pushed the UIC men's soccer team to its first appearance in the Horizon League Tournament title match since 2000, as the Flames edged Milwaukee 1-0 in the second semifinal contest at Loyola Soccer Park.

The Flames' overtime tally came on a quick restart to their second corner kick of the extra session.

Pavle Dundjer passed the ball out to the near wing for Mike Giffin, who served the ball into the box. Cesar Zambrano battled in traffic to redirect the ball to the waiting boots of Stoll, who rocketed a shot past Milwaukee keeper Grant Fernstrum into the back of the net.

It was Stoll's second goal of the season and second goal of the Horizon League Tournament, as he also registered the deciding marker in the Flames' tournament quarterfinal win over Wright State.

UIC's defense continued its dominance on Friday night posting its fourth straight shutout and 10th overall on the year. Sophomore keeper Jovan Bubonja made three saves, including a critical stop late in the second half, to earn his ninth clean sheet of the season.

Milwaukee ends its season with a record of 5-12-3.

UIC and Green Bay will meet in the championship match, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (Central time / 2:30 Eastern) at Loyola Soccer Park. The match is available on the Horizon League Network at www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv.