Senior Michael Uremovich had only scored one goal all season coming into Saturday’s NCAA quarterfinal game against No. 4 North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C.
But, his 30-yard bomb in the 104th minute may be the most important goal for the SMU men’s soccer team all year, as it eliminated the Tar Heels (17-4-3) and vaulted the Mustangs (14-5-3) into the 2005 College Cup next weekend as one of the four remaining teams in the NCAA tournament.
SMU took down the Tar Heels 3-2 in overtime Saturday afternoon, giving up a 2-0 lead late in the second half but responding with Uremovich’s goal in the second OT to advance in the tournament.
The Mustangs got on the board on the 40th minute when senior forward Duke Hashimoto found freshman Bruno Guarda unmarked and onside in the Tar Heels’ box. Guarda had an easy finish inside the near post.
Hashimoto doubled the lead Guarda stole the ball at midfield and fed Hashimoto in the box for a shot over the UNC goalkeeper’s shoulder in the 52nd minute. It was Hashimoto’s team-leading 11th goal of the season.
But the Tar Heels clawed their way back into the game, starting with at Blake Beach goal in the 62nd minute when he headed home a Dax McCarty corner kick. North Carolina took seven corner kicks in the game to SMU’s three.
Ted Odgers evened the score in the next 17 minutes when he settled a cross from Brian Shriver and beat Mustang goalkeeper Matt Wideman from five yards.
Wideman made five saves for the Mustangs, and UNC’s goalkeeper Justin Hughes made two saves.
The semifinal, where SMU will take on the No. 1 seed Maryland Terrapins (17-4-2), will be carried live by ESPN2 on Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. CST. The other semifinal, between No. 2 New Mexico (17-1-3) and Clemson (15-5-3), will be carried on ESPNU at 5:30 p.m.
Maryland advanced to the semifinals by winning the penalty kick shootout 4-1 over No. 9 Akron after a 1-1 tie. It is Maryland’s fourth straight College Cup appearance.
The 2005 NCAA Championship game will be shown live on ESPN2 Sunday at 1 p.m. There is no third-place game.
This year’s College Cup is being held at SAS Soccer Stadium in Cary, N.C.
It will be the Mustangs’ second appearance in the College Cup. They advanced to the semifinals in 2000 where they fell to the Connecticut Huskies 2-0.
