No. 7 Men's Soccer Hosts No. 5 SMU in NCAA Tournament
11/26/2007 4:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer
#7 Creighton hosts #5 SMU ? NCAA Tournament Second Round
Wednesday, Nov. 28, 7:00 p.m. ? Morrison Stadium ? Omaha, Neb.
Following the Jays: Free live video is being provided for the match. Fans can access the video feed, which will have play-by-play from Peter Della Penna, by clicking on the live video link on the Creighton athletics homepage. Live stats for the second-round match can also be found on the Bluejays' homepage.
This Week: The seventh-ranked Bluejays return to the NCAA Tournament for the 16th straight season, earning the No. 8 seed in the tournament this year. Creighton will play host to fifth-ranked and unseeded SMU in the second round on Wednesday. The longtime Midwest Region rivals will kick off at 7 p.m. at Morrison Stadium. The winner of this match will take on the winner of the Northwestern vs. Illinois-Chicago match in the third round. (All-time NCAA Tournament results and records on page seven of this week's notes).
Last Time Out: Creighton lost to Bradley in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship match, 1-0, on Nov. 18. A late BU goal snapped CU's 11-match unbeaten streak and handed the Jays just their second loss of the year. The Bluejays had advanced to the final with a 2-0 win over Evansville in the semifinals. Matt Allen, Seth Sinovic and Sergio Castillo were named to the MVC All-Tournament Team.
Scouting Creighton (11-2-5, 4-0-2 MVC): The Bluejays enter the NCAA Tournament off of just their second loss of the season, after they had put together an 11-match unbeaten streak. The Bluejays are 5-2-4 at home and 2-0-1 against top 25 opponents this season. The Jays went undefeated (4-0-2) in conference play for the first time since 1996 and shared the MVC regular-season title for the second straight year to claim their eighth regular-season crown. CU is making its 16th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, where it is 19-14-3 all-time, including 4-3-0 at home with four straight home wins in the NCAA postseason. The Bluejay defense anchors the team, led by two-time MVC Defensive Player of the Year Matt Allen in goal. Allen, the only goalkeeper on the MAC Hermann Trophy preseason watch list, has allowed just 16 goals in 18 games for a 0.82 goals against average while playing every minute in net for the Jays this year. He has played more minutes in net than any keeper in school history and owns the CU record with 25 career shutouts. First-team all-conference defender Chris Schuler is joined by second-teamer Seth Sinovic and all-freshman honoree Sergio Castillo to form a solid backline which posted six shutouts this year. Sophomore Jeff Thayer has spent a majority of the season in the back, but has recently moved to the midfield and has scored CU's last three game-winning goals. Second-team all-MVC midfielder Andrei Gotsmanov leads the team with 15 points on five goals and five assists, while fellow second-teamer Tim Bohnenkamp leads the squad with six helpers. Sophomore Thomas Gjoesund is Creighton's leading goal scorer, with six goals in just 13 games played. First-team forward Tony Schmitz adds 12 points (4 g, 4 a). CU's success if coming despite preseason MAC Hermann Trophy candidate Byron Dacy missing the year with a torn ACL.
Scouting SMU (14-4-2, 6-1-1 C-USA): The fifth-ranked Mustangs have been ranked in the top 10 most of the season, including a peak at No. 1 in the Soccer America poll in late October. SMU went 2-2-0 in its final four matches before the NCAA tournament, including a 3-1 upset loss to 4-13-2 FIU, perhaps costing itself a seed in the event. The Mustangs needed a penalty kick in the 76th minute to defeat Gonzaga 1-0 at home in the first round of the tournament. SMU has out-scored its opponents 40-19 on the year, led by two-time Conference USA Player of the Year, Bruno Guarda's eight goals. Guarda also leads the team with seven assists and 23 points, while Richard Oliva and Scott Geppert also have seven goals each. Steve Sandbo owns a 0.98 goals against average in net for the Mustangs.
Head Coach: Head coach Bob Warming (Berea, 1975) is in his second stint as the Bluejays' head coach with a 166-54-27 (.727) record in his 12th season at CU. His overall record is 359-173-57 (.658) in his 30th year of coaching. Warming, the MVC All-Centennial Coach and the all-time winningest soccer coach at CU, has guided teams to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, is a five-time finalist for National Coach of the Year and is a two-time MVC Coach of the Year. He was named the NSCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2005 and ranked eighth among active Division I coaches in career victories to open the year.
CU-SMU Series: No team has defeated the Bluejays more in their history than SMU. The Bluejays are just 5-16-1 all-time against the Mustangs (5-12-1 since 1990). CU is 1-1-1 against SMU in the last three meetings, with a 1-1 tie in Tulsa on Sept. 25, 2005 the last time these teams met. SMU defeated Creighton 1-0 in Omaha on Oct. 1, 2004, the final time these teams met as members of the MVC, while the Jays defeated SMU 2-0 the last time the teams met in Dallas in 2003. SMU has won its last two games against CU in Omaha, earning a 2-1 win in 2002 as well. Overall the Jays are 2-7-0 against SMU in Omaha and of CU's 23 home losses since 1990, six have come against SMU.
CU-SMU NCAA History: Wednesday marks the fourth time the Jays and Mustangs have met in the NCAA Tournament. CU is 1-2-0 in the previous three meetings. CU lost 1-0 to SMU in the Jays' first ever NCAA tournament match in 1992. The Jays defeated SMU 2-0 in 1996 on their way to the College Cup. SMU topped the Jays 2-1 in 1999, the last time these Midwest Region rivals squared off in the NCAA postseason.
History Sides with CU: After losing 1-0 to Bradley in the MVC Championship match at home on Nov. 18, the Bluejays have history on their side heading into the postseason:
? Creighton has never lost back-to-back games at Morrison Stadium and has not lost consecutive home games since Bob Warming re-started the program in 1990.
? The last time CU lost consecutive home matches was 1985, before any current Bluejay was born.
? CU is 5-2-4 at home this year and the Jays have never lost three matches at Morrison Stadium in one season. The last time CU lost three home matches in a season was 1996 when it went 7-3-0.
? CU is 8-1-1 against NSCAA top 25 teams at Morrison Stadium and 18-8-2 against top 25 teams at home all-time. (The lone loss came to No. 17 SMU, 1-0, Oct. 1, 2004).
? CU has won four straight home matches in the NCAA tournament, including all three NCAA matches played at Morrison Stadium.
? The Bluejays have not lost their first game in the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back seasons since their first two appearances in the event in 1992 and 1993.
? Last year CU lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the previous time CU fell in the first round was 2001. It followed that season with a 2002 trip to the College Cup.
? The last time CU was ranked in the top 10 heading into the NCAA Tournament, it advanced to the NCAA Championship match in 2000.
Postseason Party at Morrison: Based on the previous three NCAA Tournament matches held at Morrison Stadium, fans of offensive soccer should plan on attending Wednesday night's match. The Bluejays have won each of their previous three NCAA Tournament matches at the venue by a combined 12-2 score. CU defeated UMKC 6-0 in the 2003 first round, out-did nationally-ranked Northwestern 3-2 in the 2004 second round and blanked Lafayette 3-0 in the first round in 2005.
Similar Foes: Creighton and SMU have played four of the same opponents this season; Bradley, Missouri State, Tulsa and Washington. Against those teams, CU went 2-2-1, while the Mustangs were 2-1-1. The Jays defeated UW and MSU, lost to Bradley and TU and also tied BU. SMU lost to UW, defeated BU and MSU and tied Tulsa.
Against the Field: Creighton went 2-2-2 against the five teams it played which qualified for the NCAA Tournament this year. The Bluejays own wins over Indiana and Washington, were defeated by Bradley and Tulsa and tied UCLA and Bradley.
Select Company: Creighton is joined by some elite company in making its 16th straight NCAA tournament appearance. There are only three other schools in the nation which can boast the same feat of having appeared in each of the last 15 NCAA postseasons. Indiana, UCLA and Virginia have joined Creighton in each NCAA tournament since 1992.
And the Winner Has ...: The winner of the second round match featuring Illinois-Chicago (11-5-6) at ninth-seeded and 16th-ranked Northwestern (12-4-3). Should the Bluejays win, they would host that winner on Saturday, Dec. 1.
Home Sweet Morrison: The Bluejays are now 36-7-10 (.774) all-time, including 5-2-4 this year. Since 1990, the Bluejays are 138-23-15 at home (with six of those losses coming to SMU). Wednesday's opponent SMU handed Creighton its lone MVC regular-season loss at Morrison Stadium, a 1-0 defeat to the 17th-ranked Mustangs on Oct. 1, 2004. That match is the only loss for the Jays to a top-25 team in Morrison Stadium history. The Jays have ranked in the top-10 in the nation in attendance in all four years that Morrison Stadium has been open.
All-Conference Honors: Senior goalkeeper Matt Allen became the first player in league history to twice be named the MVC Defensive Player of the Year. Listed below are the other 2007 all-conference Bluejays.
Bluejays on MVC First-Team
Matt Allen, Sr., GK
Tony Schmitz, Sr., M/F
Chris Schuler, So., D
Bluejays on MVC Second-Team
Tim Bohnenkamp, Sr., M/F
Andrei Gotsmanov, Jr., M
Seth Sinovic, Jr., D
Bluejays on MVC All-Freshman Team
Sergio Castillo, D/M
Tucker Sindlinger, F
MVC Tournament Recognition: The Bluejay defense shined in CU's MVC Tournament run, shutting out the highest-scoring offense in the league - Evansville - and allowing just one goal to Bradley in the championship match. Goalkeeper Matt Allen was joined by defenders Seth Sinovic and Sergio Castillo on the all-tournament team.
Streak Snapped at 11: Creighton had its unbeaten streak snapped at 11 matches with a loss to Bradley (Nov. 18). The Jays went 8-0-3 during the streak, its longest since winning 11 straight matches in 2000. That team won 11 straight leading up to the NCAA Tournament title match.
Battling the Best: Creighton's win over second-ranked Indiana (Sept. 13) was the Bluejays' best win against a top 25 team since topping No. 2 SMU in 2000. The win improved the Bluejays to 5-5-1 all-time against teams ranked in the top-five of the coaches poll. CU is 2-0-1 against NSCAA top 25 teams this year, while also playing to a scoreless draw with No. 11 UCLA (Sept. 8) and defeating No. 24 Washington 2-1 on Sept. 29. The Bluejays are now 8-1-1 against NSCAA top 25 teams at Morrison Stadium and 18-8-2 against top 25 teams at home all-time. CU owns a 46-37-9 mark all-time against the coaches top 25.
Allen's Numbers: Matt Allen continues to move up the CU career statistical charts. The senior goalkeeper posted his 25th career shutout against Evansville (Nov. 16) to establish a CU record for clean sheets in a career. He also owns the school record, playing in 6,351 minutes in his four seasons. The Omaha native ranks second in school history with 42 wins and a 0.84 goals against average, while he is third with 252 saves.
That's a Winner: Sophomore Jeff Thayer has scored three goals this year, each of them accounting for game-winners. Thayer started much of the year on the backline for the Bluejays, but has recently moved to a midfield spot and has produced on offense. He has scored each of CU's last three game-winning goals in victories over Missouri State and twice over Evansville.
Bluejays and Brown: Creighton has not lost a game away from Omaha this year, going 4-0-1 in road games and 2-0-0 at neutral sites. Brown is the only other school in the country that can make the same claim. The fourth-ranked Bears are 5-0-0 in road games and 0-0-1 in neutral sites this year.
Undefeated: Creighton went 4-0-2 in the MVC regular-season this year, its first undefeated Valley slate since the 1996 team went 5-0-0. CU was also unbeaten in MVC play in 1995 (4-0-1), 1993 (5-0-0) and 1992 (4-0-1). Along with Bradley's 4-0-2 record this season, only 12 teams have gone undefeated through an entire Valley slate since the league started in 1991.
Attendance Figures: This season Creighton will surpass its average home attendance record of 2,015 set in 2004. The Jays are averaging 2,883 fans through 11 home matches this season. While the NCAA does not release attendance figures until the end of the season, an unofficial look around the country shows Creighton among the NCAA leaders in attendance.
NCAA Attendance Leaders (as of 11/26)
1. Connecticut - 3,159
2. Creighton - 2,883
3. UC Santa Barbara - 2,815
4. Duke - 2,788
5. Indiana - 2,455
Fantastic Fanatics: Bluejay soccer fans have turned out in record numbers this season, including a school record 5,812 for the UCLA match on Sept. 8. CU's match with Tulsa on Sept. 22 drew 4,023. The 4,023 fans ranked as the sixth-highest game attendance in school history.
Top Six Creighton Home Crowds
1 ? 5,812 vs. UCLA, Sept. 8, 2007
2 ? 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
3 ? 4,407 vs. Saint Louis, Aug. 31, 1997
4 ? 4,345 vs. Virginia (Exh.), Aug. 28, 1993
5 ? 4,029 vs. UMKC (Exh.), Aug. 27, 2004
6 ? 4,023 vs. Tulsa, Sept. 22, 2007
Top Five Morrison Stadium Crowds
1 ? 5,812 vs. UCLA, Sept. 8, 2007
2 ? 5,743 vs. Stanford (Exh.), Aug. 26, 2005
3 ? 4,029 vs. UMKC (Exh.), Aug. 27, 2004
4 ? 4,023 vs. Tulsa, Sept. 22, 2007
5 ? 3,746 vs. Georgetown, Sept. 1, 2006
No Road Trip Ups: CU has not lost away from Omaha this year, notching a 6-0-1 mark outside of Morrison Stadium. CU is 4-0-1 in true road matches. The Bluejays have lost at least two games away from Omaha every year since 1996. The 1995 squad was an unblemished 7-0-0 away from home.
Year Away Neutral
2007 4-0-1 2-0-0
2006 5-3-1 2-1-0
2005 5-4-1 2-0-1
2004 3-2-1 1-1-0
2003 5-2-1 0-2-1
2002 7-2-1 3-1-0
2001 3-3-0 1-4-0
2000 9-2-0 4-1-0
1999 4-4-1 0-0-0
1998 5-4-2 3-0-0
1997 4-3-1 3-1-0
1996 6-1-2 4-1-0
1995 5-0-0 2-0-0
Duran Returns: Highly touted freshman Andrew Duran has returned to the Bluejay lineup after missing 10 games due to a bout with mononucleosis. Duran not only returned to play at Evansville (Nov. 10), he started and played all 90 minutes. Duran, the National High School Player of the Year last year, has started CU's last three games.
Thayer Honored: Sophomore Jeff Thayer was named the MVC Defensive Player of the Week for his part in helping CU to a 3-1 road victory at Evansville in the regular-season finale on Nov. 10. Thayer scored his second goal and second game-winning tally of the year and combined with his teammates to limit the MVC's top offense to just one goal and only four shots on goal. He was one of seven different Bluejays to earn MVC Player of the Week recognition this year. Thayer was also tabbed to the Soccer America National Team of the Week for his play.
Other Honors: Including Jeff Thayer, the Bluejays were tabbed MVC Player of the Week eight times this season. The others are ? Offensive: Tim Walters (9/17), Tony Schmitz (10/15), Thomas Gjoesund (10/22); Defensive: Chris Schuler (9/10), Seth Sinovic (9/24, 10/8) and Matt Allen (10/15).
OT Info: Creighton established a school record by playing in its fifth tie of the season at Drake (Nov. 3). The Jays trumped the former record of four set by the 2003 team. CU's overtime match at DU also tied the school record for overtime matches in a season at eight, set just last year when the team was 3-2-3 in overtime matches. CU is 3-0-5 in OT this season.
Foreign Connection: Creighton's leading point-scorer and goal-scorer do not hail from the United States. Leading goal-scorer Thomas Gjoesund is a native of Norway, as the Scandinavian has six goals and 13 points in just 13 matches. Junior Andrei Gotsmanov was born in Belarus, before moving to the US with his family and attending high school in Minnesota. Gotsmanov leads the team with 15 points, as he ranks second on the team with five goals and five assists.
Long Time With Lone Loss: Creighton had just one loss through its first 17 matches. The last time the Jays went that deep into a season without two losses was the 1993 team which opened the year 19-0-0.
Time to Turn it Up: Since 2002, the Bluejays' pre-October winning percentage is .677, while their October-on winning percentage since 2002 is now .750, including a 7-1-3 mark this year. See the chart below:
Year Pre-Oct. Oct.-On NCAA
2002 5-2-1 13-2-1 College Cup
2003 3-3-2 9-3-2 Quarterfinals
2004 6-1-0 8-3-2 Third Round
2005 4-1-2 11-4-1 Quarterfinals
2006 6-3-2 7-2-1 First Round
2007 4-1-2 7-1-3 ???
?02-07 28-11-9 55-15-10
October Success: Since 2002, Creighton is now 34-7-6 (.787) in the month of October, including back-to-back undefeated Octobers in 2002 and 2003. The Bluejays were unbeaten in October (5-0-2) this year.
CK Record: After twice previously tying the Morrison Stadium record for corner kicks this season, the Bluejays established a new record for corner kicks in their 1-0 win over Missouri State (Oct. 27). CU attempted 15 corners in the win, trumping the old record of 13, which had been accomplished three times previously.
Go to the Corner: Creighton's record-setting corner kick performance is a continuation of a year-long trend in which the Bluejays are dominating in the CK stat category. CU leads the MVC with 7.8 corner kicks per game and owns a 140-76 edge in corners.
Holy Schmitz: Senior Tony Schmitz scored the game-winning goal against Eastern Illinois with just 0.4 seconds showing on the clock in double overtime on Oct. 13. He also scored the equalizer in CU's 2-2 tie with Bradley on Oct. 1.
We're Even: Eight of Creighton's 18 matches this season have gone into overtime, with the Jays owning a 3-0-5 mark in extra time. Of Creighton's record setting five ties this year, the first four came at home, as the Bluejays have now recorded 10 ties at Morrison Stadium since the venue opened in 2003. Prior to 2003, the Bluejays had just five home draws combined between 1990 and 2002. CU is 17-10-27 all-time under Bob Warming in overtime games.
Hawaii Two-O: Hawaii native Jeremy Wittig (jersey No. 20) scored his first career goal and added his first career assist in Creighton's 2-2 draw with Bradley (Oct. 10). The redshirt freshman headed in CU's first goal in the 29th minute and then assisted on Tony Schmitz's goal in the 57th minute. Making the night all the more special for Wittig, his family had traveled from Hawaii to watch the match.
Go Gjoesund: Thomas Gjoesund's first career goal was a memorable one against 24th-ranked Washington (Sept. 29). The defender-turned-attacker scored the game-winning goal in overtime, as his direct free kick was blasted past the UW keeper to give CU a 2-1 win in the 98th minute. The sophomore had played just 18 minutes off the bench in the match, while playing out of position due to several Bluejay injuries. It was just his 10th career shot in his 22nd career game.
Oh Shoot: Andrei Gotsmanov led a record-setting night against Bradley (Oct. 10). The junior unleashed 10 shots to set the CU record for shots at Morrison Stadium and tie the venue record set by Alejandro Bedoya of Fairleigh Dickinson (vs. Missouri State on Sept. 1, 2006). CU's 28 shots against BU also established a school record for shots at Morrison Stadium and fell one shy FDU's record set against MSU that same day. Gotsmanov has established a Morrison Stadium record for shots in a season, with 44 shots attempted at home this year.
Dacy Has Surgery: Junior forward Byron Dacy underwent surgery to repair his torn left ACL on Oct. 10. Dacy suffered the injury in the 13th minute of CU's exhibition match with Ohio State on Aug. 18. He attempted to rehabilitate the knee and played in two regular-season matches - two minutes against UCLA (Sept. 8) and 19 minutes against Loyola Marymount (Sept. 15). He scored the game-winning goal in overtime against LMU.
Write the Script: Junior forward Tim Walters enjoyed an outstanding homecoming at the Saint Louis Nike Classic (Sept. 13-15). The St. Louis native scored the game-winning goal against second-ranked Indiana in a 2-1 win (Sept. 13). Making the homecoming all the more special, Tim's father played soccer at IU from 1976-79. Walters was rewarded with his first start as a Bluejay on Sept. 15 and he assisted the game-winning goal in overtime of CU's 1-0 victory over Loyola Marymount. For his efforts in leading CU to the co-championship of the tournament, he was named co-MVP, MVC Offensive Player of the Week and to three national teams of the week.
Three of a Kind: CU's backline of Chris Schuler, Seth Sinovic and Jeff Thayer were each named to the Saint Louis Nike Classic All-Tournament Team (Sept. 13-15) for their efforts in shutting down No. 2 Indiana, 2-1, and shutting out Loyola Marymount. 1-0. Sinovic also earned MVC Defensive Player of the Week honors, one week after Schuler earned the award.
Andrei the Giant: Junior Andrei Gotsmanov paid immediate dividends in his first weekend at Creighton, scoring CU's first game-winning goal of the year and notching a multiple goal match in the Jays' 3-0 win over Green Bay. The multiple goal match was the fourth of Gotsmanov's career, after recording two hat tricks and a two-goal match at St. John's as a freshman in 2004 (his only other year of collegiate competition).
Rookie Watch: Freshmen Andrew Duran and Tucker Sindlinger have been named among the Top 100 Freshmen to Watch by CollegeSoccerNews.com. Duran, a two-time prep All-American, was named the NSCAA National Player of the Year last season as a midfielder at Lincoln-Way (Ill.) East High. Sindlinger, a forward from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has extensive international playing experience as part of the Region II Olympic Development Program.
Homecoming: Two former Bluejay standouts have returned to the Bluejay bench this season. Mike Gabb, a two-time College Cup participant and CU goalkeeper from 1998-2002, has returned as an assistant coach working with the keepers. Two-time National Player of the Year and CU Athletics Hall of Famer Johnny Torres is back as an undergraduate manager as he finishes his degree. Torres, arguably the greatest player in school and league history, played at CU from 1994-97 and played professionally for the past 10 years.
National Player of the Year Candidates: Senior goalkeeper Matt Allen and junior forward Byron Dacy have been named to the preseason watch list for the MAC Hermann Trophy, annually given to the top soccer player in Division I. Allen enters this season on pace to set CU career records for shutouts and minutes played. Dacy has led the team in scoring in each of his first two seasons, but will miss the remainder of this year due to a torn ACL suffered in the preseason. Allen joins Dacy on the long list of National Player of the Year candidates from Creighton, including the 1997 winner and current manager, Johnny Torres.
CU National Player of the Year Candidates
Year Player
2007 Byron Dacy & Matt Allen
2006 Byron Dacy
2004 Julian Nash
2003 David Wagenfuhr
2002 Mike Tranchilla
2001 Mike Tranchilla
1997 Johnny Torres (Won)
1996 Ross Paule
1993 Keith DeFini & Brian Kamler
Exhibition Recap: Creighton played just one exhibition match this year, tying Ohio State 2-2 at home on Aug. 18. CU twice trailed and twice scored the equalizer, with senior Sam Eid providing the first goal and redshirt freshman Jeremy Wittig scoring the second goal in the 88th minute to even the match up. No overtime was played. Preseason National Player of the Year Candidate Matt Allen made five saves in goal for CU, while the Bluejays' other representative on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List, Byron Dacy, did not fare as well. Dacy was injured in the 13th minute, suffering a torn left ACL and played just two matches in the regular-season before opting for season-ending surgery.
Last Season in Short: Creighton finished the 2006 season with a 13-5-3 record, after losing a first-round NCAA Tournament match at Washington, 3-0. The tournament appearance was Creighton's 15th straight, as they are one of just five teams in Division I to have appeared in each of the last 15 NCAA Tournaments. The Bluejays won both the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles last year, while they also had the MVC Player of the Year (Michael Kraus) and MVC Defensive Player of the Year (Matt Allen). Allen returns this year, as does the MVC Tournament MVP Byron Dacy and Freshman All-American Chris Schuler. Dacy topped the team with six assists and 16 points last year, while Kraus, who now plays in the MLS with the Kansas City Wizards, led the team with six goals, including five game-winners.
