The No. 20 Massachusetts men’s soccer team played 110 scoreless minutes in its 0-0 draw and eventual penalty kick shootout loss to Saint Louis. The Minutemen (10-3-5, 5-2-1 Atlantic 10) were rock solid at the back for the entirety of the A-10 quarterfinal match.
Center back Matt Fordham led the charge on the defensive side of things for UMass. He put out a number of fires in front of his own net and made a few miraculous tackles to prevent dangerous scoring chances. Fordham was also involved in his usual role of transitioning the defense to attack, as he sent frequent long balls over the top.
Aidan Kelly filled his customary role next to Fordham in central defense. The Northern Ireland native was dominant in the air, heading out any crosses whipped into the danger area. Both of the center backs remained composed and comfortable while under pressure, beating the Billikens’ (7-3-8, 4-1-3 A-10) press with ease.
“We were playing against very good players,” head coach Fran O’Leary said. “And to get a clean sheet in 90 minutes and plus another 20 minutes is a credit to, I thought, the whole back four.”
Alex Geczy picked up yet another clean sheet, his eighth shutout of the season. He made several crucial saves to keep the Minutemen level at zeros. Saint Louis’ Xavier Holloway teed up a shot from distance with five minutes remaining in overtime, just to be denied by a top-hand Geczy save. The strike from about 30 yards away knuckled on frame and was acrobatically parried away.
“Geczy pulled off a couple special saves,” O’Leary said. “He’s been superb all season.”
Mike Willis, who is listed as a forward, has become a regular starter at the left back position. In his time as a defender, Willis has improved greatly in his time with the new role. His previous experience further up the field also allows him to join the attack and whip crosses into the box with his always threatening left foot.
On the opposite side of the pitch, Alex Brown held down the other fullback spot. Brown has reclaimed his spot in the starting lineup recently and continues to be a stout member of the UMass backline. All four of the Minutemen’s defenders played the full 110-minute shift.
UMass used its bench sparingly in the contest, introducing just three players into the match. Ivan Vrh played 60 minutes as a target man, but the Minutemen were unable to capitalize on their size advantage over the Billikens. Joey Bianco played 30 minutes, while Layton Purchase made a short cameo in the second half.
The first-round loss in the A-10 tournament will leave UMass’ NCAA Tournament hopes up to the selection committee. One of the deciding factors will be the Rating Percentage Index (RPI), which currently ranks UMass at No. 18. A total of 22 bids will be automatically granted to the winner of each individual conference. The other 26 slots will be given to the best remaining teams, which likely leaves the Minutemen right on the bubble.
Despite the strong defensive showing, UMass could not create much in the attack. The 0-0 result marked the first time it did not score against a conference opponent this season. The Minutemen finished a game without a goal just twice this season, in both of the opening games of 2024.
“The irony of it is we struggled to score today, but we’re one of the seven teams in the country that scored 40 goals this season,” O’Leary said. “So, you got to give some credit to Saint Louis for shutting us out.”
UMass will learn its College Cup fate during the selection show on Nov. 18. If the Minutemen are given an at-large bid, they will begin their search for the title when the first round kicks off on Nov. 21.
Cameron Pellegrino can be reached at [email protected].
