2004 SIUE Men's Soccer - Cougars Head to the Final Four

		Men's Soccer	SIUE Men's Soccer SIUE Athletics

Championships To Be Heard on WSIE, Webradio
The semifinal NCAA men’s soccer game between SIUE and the North Carolina-Pembroke can be heard live from Wichita Falls, Texas, on WSIE FM 88.7 or through the internet at http://webradio.siue.edu. Game time is 5:30 p.m. Friday.

November 29, 2004

SIUE Men’s Soccer
in Search of a Third NCAA Title
          The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville men’s soccer team is just two wins away from its third national title, previously winning it all in 1972 and 1979. SIUE coach Ed Huneke knows that his 2004 team is close to writing its own chapter in Cougar soccer history.
          The Cougars (18-2-2) take on University of North Carolina-Pembroke (16-2) in the national semifinals on Friday, Dec. 3, at 5:30 p.m. in Wichita Falls, Texas.
          “We set that (the national championship) as our goal,” said Huneke. “We realize that it is a road filled with obstacles, and we are fortunate to be in this situation.”
          SIUE reached the final four by outlasting Tusculum 3-2 on Nov. 20. The Braves of UNC-Pembroke defeated Central Arkansas 1-0 the same day to reach the final round.
          Just as in the match against Tusculum, the Cougars face another strong offense in the NCAA Tournament.
          The Cougars are second in the NCAA with a 0.57 goals against average, while the Braves are seventh in the country with 3.11 goals per game.
          “Team defense has been a big part of our success,” said Huneke.
          SIUE goalkeeper Nicholas Frasca (St. Charles, Mo.) ranks seventh in the NCAA with a 0.62 goals against average. He also has six shutouts on the year.
          The Cougars have spread the wealth around on offense with 10 players with at least 10 points, seven players with five or more goals, and eight different players with game-winning goals.
          “We are not a team of individuals or selected superstars,” said Huneke. “We are a tough team to defend against because we do have several weapons.”
          UNC-Pembroke is led by a pair of sophomores Trond Myrland (13 goals, 11 assists) and Mircea Cosac (10 goals, 4 assists). Goalkeeper Richard Sallin is second in NCAA with a 0.47 goals against average with eight shutouts on the season.
          The winner of the SIUE-UNC-Pembroke contest will face the winner of the Seattle-Dowling matchup in the national championship game on Dec. 5 at 1 p.m.
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