Creighton University
Tulsa
No. 11 Men's Soccer Storms Past No. 5 Tulsa Golden Hurricane, 3-1
10/5/2010 11:23:00 PM | Men's Soccer
OMAHA, Neb. - The 11th-ranked Creighton men's soccer team scored 41 seconds into the match and built a 3-0 first-half lead to cruise to a 3-1 victory over fifth-ranked Tulsa Tuesday night at Morrison Stadium. Ethan Finlay scored CU's first two goals to help keep the Bluejays undefeated at home (5-0-0) and improve their overall mark to 8-1-0 this season. The Golden Hurricane fell to 7-2-0 on the season in defeat.
Finlay needed just 41 seconds get the scoring started. Jose Gomez started the build up at midfield with a long lead pass wide right to Dion Acoff. Acoff beat his defender and slotted a low pass to Finlay who was waiting to tap the ball in just six-yards in front of the net. Finlay's goal was the sixth-fastest to start a match in school history, and second-quickest in Morrison Stadium history. The assist for Gomez was his Valley-best seventh of the season.
Creighton's MAC Hermann Trophy candidate would strike again in the 23rd minute. Kris Clark won a ball near the left sideline at midfield and put a through ball to a streaking Finlay. Finlay stopped from his sprinting attack down the left side and cut the ball back, losing his defender, before bending a shot across the goal mouth from the left side of the 18-yard box into the upper right 90. It was Finlay's MVC-leading third game-winning goal of the season, and 12th game-winner in 21 career scores. The forward now leads the MVC with seven goals and 15 points on the season.
The Bluejays would add what proved to be an insurance goal less than five minutes later, when Ribeiro, who had subbed on for Finlay, found the back of the net for the second time this season. A similar build up to the first score saw Acoff beat his defenders wide right, allowing him to dribble deep into the box along the goal line and serve another low cross from close range. Ribeiro easily tapped in the feed and the Bluejays led 3-0 just 28 minutes into play.
"Again we started off firing on all cylinders," said first-year Bluejay coach Jamie Clark after the victory. "That start allowed us to grab the lead and make us feel as close to comfortable as you can get in a soccer match. I was happy with our energy early on and then the grit we used to hang on at the end when they were pushing us."
Tulsa cut into the Bluejay lead when one of Tulsa's three MAC Hermann Trophy candidates, Austin Neil, found the back of the net in the 56th minute, knocking in his team-leading eighth goal off an assist from Zach Nulisch. Neil nearly made the score 3-2 just minutes later, when his header hit off the left post and Creighton cleared the chance.
The Tulsa goal was the first allowed by the Bluejays in five home matches this season.
Brian Holt had six saves in goal to tie a season-high for Creighton, while Tulsa keeper Ray Clark made three stops.
Creighton will return to action on Saturday night when it hosts seven-time NCAA champion and perennial power Indiana as part of Creighton's Homecoming. The Bluejays and the Hoosiers will kick off at 6 p.m., following Creighton's women's soccer match against Evansville, which kicks at 3:30 p.m.
NOTES: The only goal scored faster from the start of a match in Morriosn Stadium history came from Andrei Gotsmanov just 36 seconds into a 2008 NCAA Tournament win against Tulsa ... Tuesday's match was just the fourth meeting between top-15 teams at Morrison Stadium, the Jays are now 4-0-0 in such meetings ... Tuesday's match was only the fourth match every played on a Tuesday at Morrison Stadium, with the Jays improving to 3-0-1 in those matches ... The Jays are now 8-1-0 for the first time since 1998 ... CU is now 15-2-1 all-time at Morrison Stadium against top-25 teams ... Tulsa's only other loss this season came at No. 1-ranked Akron.
