The No. 20 Massachusetts men’s soccer team has its toughest test yet forthcoming in a quarterfinal matchup with No. 3 Denver. The winner of the match will punch their ticket to Cary, North Carolina’s College Cup.
After defeating No. 11 Virginia 1-0 in a cagey and defensive affair, the Minutemen (12-3-5, 5-2-1 Atlantic 10) will look to string together three straight wins against ranked opponents. The winner of this matchup will take on the winner of No. 1 Ohio State and No. 8 Wake Forest in the semifinals.
In the win over the Cavaliers, UMass dominated possession and scored its lone goal courtesy of a fortunate deflection off Virginia defender Parker Sloan. The Minutemen retained control of the match throughout the second half.
Denver (14-3-4, 7-1 Summit) also won 1-0 in the Round of 16, against No. 14 Indiana. The defense was able to hold up against a potent attack. Keegan Kelly scored the lone goal, capitalizing on a scramble in the penalty area and scoring from a half-volley in the first half.
The Pioneers are coming off two consecutive shutout wins against Gardner-Webb and Indiana. Denver has goalkeeper Issac Nehme to thank for that; the junior has allowed less than a goal per game. Defenders Ronan Wynne, Trevor Wright and Dylan Akau have all started every game this season. This defensive group has kept nine clean sheets.
On the flip side, UMass striker Alec Hughes scored 16 goals in 17 games this season. Hughes’ prowess near the net is among the best in the nation. He has the highest goal-scoring total of anyone left in the tournament.
Denver’s creator and goal scorer Sam Bassett will certainly prove to be an issue for the UMass defense. Bassett leads the Pioneers in both goals and assists with eight goals and 12 assists. Oje Ofunrein, Ian Smith, Bryce Willoughby and Keegan Kelly round out a loaded Denver attack.
The Minutemen have had great defensive performances in the tournament up to this point, holding No. 6 Penn and Virginia to zeroes, but Denver’s chance creation is much more nuanced.
Alex Geczy has been lights out this season in goal and the tournament has been no different. He played a key role in each of UMass’ three wins. The defense in front of him has been just as stellar. Center back Matt Fordham created the goal against Virginia and still provided his defensive abilities. Aidan Kelly has been outstanding at the back as well and has been dominant in the air.
The Pioneers do not have a premier striker that they rely on to generate offense. Where UMass might push the ball forward to Hughes, Denver has lots of similar outlets for creativity, with five different players having 10 or more points on the season.
The Minutemen’s defense is used to playing teams with quality wingers and attacking midfielders. Dayton played at Rudd Field during A-10 play earlier this season and the threats from all angles are very reminiscent of the threats posed by this Denver team.
Of the eight remaining teams, UMass is last in RPI at No. 22. Denver ranks at No. 2. The Minutemen sit No. 20 in the United Soccer Poll, while Denver is No. 4. In games against ranked opponents this season, UMass is undefeated. It drew Dayton, while claiming victories against Penn, Virginia and Duquesne.
The quarterfinal fixture is set to kickoff at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. The Denver-hosted match can be streamed live on ESPN+.
Dylan Shalom can be reached at [email protected] and followed on X @dylan_third.
