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Wednesday, November 27, 2002
Offensive attack freezes
as FIU falls to SMU in second round of NCAA Tournament
 he
Florida International men's soccer team fell behind early and
could not overcome a two-goal deficit as Southern Methodist defeated
the Golden Panthers, 3-1, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
FIU came out flat in unfamiliar 30-degree temperatures, allowing
SMU to get on the board in the third minute. Colin Clark started
the play when he served the ball to J.D. Johnston in the right
corner. Johnston then crossed the ball to the top of the penalty
box where Hudson knocked it into the corner of the net with a
one-touch blast.
Duke Hashimoto extended the Mustangs' lead in the 42nd minute
when Diego Walsh slid the ball through the FIU defense and placed
it into an empty goal.
Billy Boswell pulled the Golden Panthers within a goal in
the 53rd minute when he took a pass from John Pulido and placed
it into the back right corner of the net.
But the Mustangs were too much for FIU as Hashimoto put the
game away in the 72nd minute. The play started when Toti Suarez
blasted the ball from 30-yards out and Golden Panther goalkeeper
Shawn Crowe made a diving save in the air that bounced off the
hard turf. Hashimoto followed the shot and tried to knock it
past Crowe as Crowe made two brilliant saves before Hashimoto
finally go the best of him and scored his second goal of the
game.
"We were slow coming out of the gate," said Kremser.
"I don't think the weather had that much of an effect. In
the second half, we moved the ball and showed what we could do."
Despite allowing three goals, Crowe had a strong outing, making
seven saves including two brilliant saves in the final minutes
to keep FIU in the game.
FIU ends the season at 13-6-1 while SMU improves to 16-2-3
and will face Boston College in the third round of the tournament. |