UMR men’s soccer win streak ends in finale

By John Kean
UMR Sports Information

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- The hopes of the University of Missouri-Rolla men's soccer team ending the 2007 season with a five-game winning streak fell just short Sunday, as Southern Indiana got a goal late in the first half and made it hold up for a 1-0 win over the Miners Sunday afternoon, Oct. 21.

Dan Dormeier's goal with 3:18 to go in the opening half turned out to be the only goal of the contest. The Miners had five shots in the second half, but wasn't able to get any of them on goal or by goalkeeper Brad Cadden to knot up the score.

UMR goalie Mike McNamee, a senior playing in his final game for the Miners, finished with six saves on the day. USI had a 16-12 edge in shots. Nick Landon led the Miners with three shots in the game.

The Miners finished the year with a record of 7-10-1 and were 4-9 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

The Lady Miner soccer team ended up on the short end of the score in its final Great Lakes Valley Conference contest of the 2007 season Sunday, falling 3-1 at Southern Indiana.

UMR ended the league season with a record of 2-10-1 and will take a 5-12-1 mark into its season finale Friday, when it hosts Missouri Baptist in a 6 p.m. game.

The Screaming Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the opening half on goals by Mallory Minor and Julie Collins, then the Lady Miners cut that lead in half when Brooke Ryan scored off an assist from Beth Babb at the 55:41 mark.

However, USI got that goal back 17 minutes later when Katie Grossman scored an unassisted goal.

Lady Miner goalkeepers Kelsey Kurilla and Catherine Swift finished the game with four saves apiece as USI finished with a 21-10 advantage in shots. Babb and Marci Byrd had three shots apiece for UMR.

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Miner men’s soccer has scoreless tie with Truman

By John Kean
UMR Sports Information

The University of Missouri-Rolla men’s soccer team was able to halt two streaks Sunday, Sept. 30 and set a school record, but couldn't quite end the game in the win column.

Mike McNamee broke the UMR career record for shutouts, posting his 15th as he kept Truman State off the scoreboard for 110 minutes. However, the Miners weren't able to record a tally of their own as the teams played to a 0-0 tie at the UMR Soccer Field.

The tie did end UMR's seven-game losing streak and also ended Truman State's seven-game winning streak. But by shutting out the Miners, Truman has now kept its last eight opponents off the scoreboard.

UMR finished the game with the advantage in shots at 17-13 and had three great scoring chances in the latter stages of the contest. Ted Nelson had a shot from the top of the penalty area that was stopped by Truman goalkeeper Kyle Talbot but then went off the crossbar; the Miners couldn't get to the rebound afterwards.

In the second overtime, Sam Shaffer attempted a diving head ball and put it just wide of the net, then Andy Held missed a chance in front on a ball that just went above the crossbar.

McNamee was credited with five saves on the afternoon for the Miners, who will return to the field Friday when it play at Quincy in a 7:30 p.m. game.

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Flyers rally past UMR men’s soccer

By John Kean
UMR Sports Information

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – The University of Missouri-Rolla men’s soccer team had designs on snapping its three-game losing streak Sunday, Sept. 16, and had a halftime lead over Lewis after scoring for the first time since the streak began.

However, the Flyers scored twice in a span of seven minutes early in the second half and held on for a 2-1 win that sent UMR to its fourth straight loss.

UMR (3-4, 0-4 GLVC) took the lead with just eight seconds remaining in the opening half when Daniel Stokes headed in Afif Najjar's free kick.

But the momentum the Miners gained from the goal right before halftime and the lead evaporated in the opening minutes of the second half.

Mardoche Beva got to a loose ball and got a shot past UMR goalkeeper Mike McNamee 3:10 into the second half to knot the score, then the Flyers got the game winner 7:10 after that when Kipp Cartwright scored an unassisted goal off a corner kick.

Cartwright's goal marked the first time that the Miners have allowed more than one goal in a game this season.

UMR was outshot 14-8 in the game, but had two golden opportunities in the waning moments to tie the score. Brandon Moore hit a shot wide of the goal with just over two minutes remaining, then Andy Held hit a shot off the post with a minute and a half to go.

At Kenosha, Wis., the Miner soccer team suffered its third straight loss by a 1-0 score -- and Friday's setback at Wisconsin-Parkside may have been the toughest of all.

Just a minute and 28 seconds away from coming away with at least a scoreless tie, the Miners were called for a hand ball in the penalty area. UW-Parkside's Bojan Jovicic converted the ensuing penalty kick to give the Rangers the double overtime victory.

UMR had only four shots in the game to the Rangers' 10 and just two of those attempts made it on goal. The Miners were equally stingy on the defensive end, as just two shots taken by the hosts made it on goal prior to the penalty kick and were turned away by goalkeeper Tom Lawton.

The Miners will return home to face second-ranked Northern Kentucky Friday, Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the UMR Soccer Field.

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Bad break means loss for UMR men’s soccer

By John Kean
UMR Sports Information

The University of Missouri-Rolla men’s soccer team caught an unfortunate break in more ways than one Tuesday night, Sept. 11, and the end result was their second straight loss in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

UMR and Drury were in a scoreless dual late in the first half when the Miners' Dan Gravlin went down with an injury at a time when the Miners had control of play at the Drury end. After the game was delayed for several minutes, the Panthers regrouped and got the only goal of the game about a minute later to come away with a 1-0 win over UMR.

Marco Cherisma, who entered the week as NCAA Division II's second-leading scorer, took a pass from Adam Peterson and got a shot past Mike McNamee with 2:36 to go in the first half to give the Panthers the lead, then Drury was able to hold off the Miners in the final 45 minutes.

UMR's best chance to score after the Panthers moved in front came in the latter stages of the contest when Nick Landon got free behind the Drury defense. However, his scoring chance got stopped by Logan Hoffman and an ensuing corner kick was cleared out.

It was the second straight 1-0 loss for the Miners, who lost by that score Sunday to 25th-ranked Rockhurst.

The Miners (3-2, 0-2 GLVC) will play on the road this weekend starting with a Friday game at Wisconsin-Parkside.

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UMR men lose for first time in ‘07

By John Kean
UMR Sports Information

ROLLA -- The University of Missouri-Rolla men’s soccer team put their undefeated record and unscored upon status on the line Sunday, Sept. 9 against a team that has been its nemesis throughout the years -- and the nemesis got the better of it on the scoreboard.

UMR gave up its first goal of the season early in the second half and it turned out to be all Rockhurst would need to escape from the UMR Soccer Field with a 1-0 victory over the Miners in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener for both teams.

The Miners and Hawks both entered the game with 3-0 records and the game was a defensive battle all afternoon. UMR had the edge in shots in the first half by an 8-3 margin, but neither team was able to dent the net.

A defensive mistake by UMR in the opening minute of the second half ended up leading to the game's decisive moment. The Miners made a poor clearing attempt in the box and Rockhurst's Tom Heinemann, the third-leading goal scorer in the GLVC, pounced on the loose ball and sent a shot past Miner goalkeeper Mike McNamee just 43 seconds into the second half.

From there, the Miners had a tough time navigating through Rockhurst's defense for scoring chances, as they were held to just three shots after the Heinemann goal. UMR -- which has just one win over Rockhurst in the history of the program -- ended up outshooting the Hawks 11-9, with Andy Held taking five of the shots.

McNamee was credited with two saves on the day as only three of Rockhurst's nine shots were on net.

UMR (3-1, 1-0 GLVC) will face Drury Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the UMR Soccer Field; the game is a make-up game from Friday's rained out contest.

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3^rd-straight shutout for Miner men’s soccer

By John Kean
UMR Sports Information

KIRKSVILLE – The University of Missouri-Rolla men's soccer team recorded its third straight

shutout victory to open the 2007 season Sunday, Sept. 2, beating a good Northeastern State team 1-0 to wrap up its weekend in the Truman State Classic.

The Miners made Wade Aitken-Palmer's unassisted goal late in the first half stand up as they improved to 3-0, the team's first 3-0 start since 2000. The team also got its third consecutive shutout win for the first time in nine seasons.

UMR did post three straight shutouts early in the 2005 season, but one of the three contests ended in a scoreless tie.

The game was scoreless until Aitken-Palmer, a redshirt sophomore, converted a chance at the 42:18 mark to put the Miners up 1-0. UMR had controlled play in the opening half as it outshot the RiverHawks 7-1 and had both corner kick opportunities.

UMR's defense took care of the rest as only one shot of NSU's seven shots reached goalkeeper Tom Lawton. Lawton turned that one chance away and got his first career shutout.

The Miners outshot the RiverHawks 17-7 for the game and had all six of the game's corner kicks.

Mike McNamee has played every minute in goal for the Miners since the start of the 2005 season -- and his work in the nets has now put him on the top of a career list at UMR.

McNamee picked up his 14th career shutout Saturday -- tying Todd Wilfling's school record -- as the Miners posted their second straight shutout win to start the 2007 season by topping Missouri Southern 3-0 at the Truman State Invitational.

McNamee wasn't really tested much by the Lions, as the Miner defense held Southern to one shot on goal out of the 10 overall shots in the game. Meanwhile, the Miners made a goal by Corey Bailey late in the first half stand up for most of the afternoon until they scored two more in the final six minutes.

Bailey's goal at the 43:20 mark came off an assist from Mario Calderon, as he made a cross to the top of the penalty area and Bailey converted the chance for his first career goal.

Bailey and Calderon combined again on the second Miner goal with just 5:35 to go, as Calderon took a pass from Andy Held and sent a ball in front that Bailey headed past Southern goalkeeper Jon Hansen to give the Miners a 2-0 advantage.

UMR iced the win at the 87:20 mark when Brad Hippisley scored on a free kick.

The Miners outshot the Lions 18-10 in the game as they opened a season with back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2000.

UMR will open Great Lakes Valley Conference play Friday, Sept. 7 when it hosts Drury in a 7:30 p.m. game at the UMR Soccer Field.

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Held scores twice; Miner men’s soccer wins

By John Kean
UMR Sports Information

ROLLA – Andy Held started out the 2007 soccer season by picking up where he left off last fall.

Held headed in a pair of free kicks Saturday afternoon, Aug. 25, to provide all the scoring as the Miners opened their season with a 2-0 victory over Ashland at the UMR Soccer Field.

Held, who led the Miners with 11 goals in 2006, got UMR on the board at the 16:50 mark when he got a head on a free kick by freshman Daniel Stokes and redirected it by goalkeeper Blaize Lishewski.

That would be the only goal the Miners would score in the first 45 minutes, despite holding an edge in play for the most part and outshooting the Eagles 10-4.

At the 65:11 mark Ashland’s Max Hiltner was give a red card for a flagrant foul just outside the penalty area and the Miners made the Eagles pay just three seconds later. Brandon Moore’s serve into the box got to Held and he put it away by reserve keeper Ryan Cruise to extend the lead.

The Miner defense took care of the rest, allowing only four shots to reach goalkeeper Mike McNamee, as the senior goalkeeper recorded his 13^th career shutout, one shy of the UMR all-time record.

UMR outshot the Eagles 17-9 for the game.

UMR will play two games in Kirksville over the Labor Day Weekend, starting with a contest Saturday, Sept. 1 against Missouri Southern.

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Miners hire men’s soccer head coach; football assistant

By John Kean
UMR Sports Information

ROLLA – The University of Missouri-Rolla has named Joe Ahearn, an assistant coach at Colgate University, as its new men’s soccer head coach.

Ahearn is taking over for Vince Darnell, who resigned from the position last month to pursue other career opportunities.

"Everything makes so much sense – good academics, good program, good conference, good people and a good location," Ahearn said. "There are a lot of exciting things going on at UMR and we look forward to being a part of it."

"Joe will bring excellent experience and a strong technical background to our program," said UMR Athletic Director Mark Mullin. "I am extremely pleased and feel fortunate to have him join our staff. He will be an excellent leader of our men’s soccer program."

Ahearn has spent the last two seasons at Colgate, a school located in Hamilton, N.Y., and a member of the Division I Patriot League. The Raiders finished the 2006 season with a record of 8-4-5 after going 9-7-3 in the 2005 season, making the Patriot League Tournament in both seasons.

Before joining the staff at Colgate, Ahearn spent three seasons as an assistant coach at DePaul University where he played his collegiate soccer. While on the DePaul staff he was involved in the day-to-day operations of the program and assisted in game preparation.

Andy Ball, who has served on the coaching staffs at Culver-Stockton College and the University of Central Missouri, has been named as the new offensive line coach for UMR.

Ball is talking over the position that was occupied last season by Bryan Johnson, who stepped down after the season to pursue other career opportunities.

"My family and I are really thrilled about this opportunity," Ball said. "One of our goals here is to improve our running game to compliment our outstanding passing game, because we need to be able to run the ball effectively to score more in short field situations and give our team another dimension."

Ball has spent the last three seasons at Culver-Stockton as the offensive line and strength coach, while also working with various aspects of the special teams.

"We’re really excited about Andy becoming a pair of our program," said Miner head coach Kirby Cannon. "He has a great knowledge of the game and the enthusiasm for it as well, which goes a long ways when coaching the offensive line."

Balls’ father, Randy, previously served as the head coach at Western Illinois University and Missouri State University.

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