Center Valley, PA (November 5, 2005) – The DeSales University men’s soccer team made history on Saturday afternoon defeating five-time defending champion Drew University, 1-0, in overtime to win the 2005 Freedom Conference men’s soccer championship in front of a capacity crowd and on a picture perfect Saturday afternoon at DeSales.

 

        The title is the first-ever for the Bulldogs (15-2-2 overall) and advances them to the 2005 NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament for the first time in the program’s 37 year history.  DSU is now 3-3 all-time in Freedom Conference playoff games and ends the Ranger’s reign of consecutive Freedom Conference Championships.  Drew (13-5-2 overall) had won each of the last five titles and six of the last seven.

 

        The NCAA Tournament field will be announced on Sunday evening with the Bulldogs opponent and date of first game announced at that time.

 

        Sophomore Rusty Riedmiller (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) was named the Tournament’s Most Valuable Player as he recorded his second shutout in the playoffs and totaled five saves in today’s championship win including many diving stops that kept the game scoreless.  Riedmiller now has 10 shutouts on the season, which sets a new single-season record at DeSales, and lowers his season goals against average to 0.46.

 

        The game-winning goal came off the foot of freshman David Ackley (North Cape May, NJ/Lower Cape May) at the 92:51 mark of the first overtime.  Ackley took a pass from fellow freshman Andrew Marshall (Greene, NY/Greene Central) and one touched the ball into the far corner of the net and past a charging Ranger keeper to send the capacity crowd into a frenzy and onto the field.

 

        Both teams had some fantastic chances to score in regulation.  Drew controlled much of the first half out-shooting DeSales 7-3 and had its best chance to score on a centering pass into the box that was deflected by senior Derek Swanner and appeared headed into the DSU net, but a Bulldog defender raced over to clear it out of bounds before it crossed the goal mouth.

 

        DSU only had three shots in the opening half but all three were inches away from going in the net.  Freshman Dustin Sturm (North Cape May, NJ/Lower Cape May) and junior captain Phil Yetter (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley) each hit screaming rockets toward the DU keeper that saw him tip each over the net and out of bounds, keeping DSU off the scoreboard.

 

        In the second half, DeSales started to gain the momentum and controlled much of the offensive play.  The Bulldogs held a 9-8 edge in shots and once again each team had chances to score that fell inches away or were saved by the opposing keeper.

 

        For Drew, Swanner had a golden opportunity mid-way thru the half taking a back pass in the box and ripping a shot towards the net.  Riedmiller was ready and position, sprawling out and just getting a piece of the ball with his right hand to knock it wide. 

 

        For the Bulldogs, freshman Chris Ravita (Lebanon, NJ/North Hunterdon) sent a chill down every fans spine during the second half as his free kick from the left side and about 35 yards out appeared headed for the net and was just over the out-stretched hand of Dan Biggers’, the Drew goalkeeper, but connected with the cross bar and the game remained a scoreless 0-0 tie.

 

        Still tied after two regulation periods, the action was fast and furious in the first overtime.  The Ranger bench thought they had won the game at the 91:31 mark as a lofted shot/centering pass was deflected into the net, but offsides was called on the play and the goal was disallowed quickly.  Play continued and one minute and 20 seconds later it was the DeSales bench that saw the game-winner tickle the nylon setting off a joyous celebration.