The Rocket

Issue date: 11/20/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Chelsey Rovesti Senior forward Jeremy Deighton collides with the No.14 University of Charleston (Wv.Va) goalie Sean Teepen in the defensive zone Sunday. The Rock blew two one goal leads on Sunday in the 3-2 loss.

Media Credit: Chelsey Rovesti Junior defender Thomas Pool works the ball out of the corner Sunday against No. 14 University of Charleston. Pool notched three of the Rock's 50 total goals this season.

After becoming conference champions and getting to the national playoffs, SRU men's soccer gave everything it had in the second round of the national tournament but fell short in a 3-2 loss to the University of Charleston (W.Va.)

SRU, who was the top seed in the Atlantic Region, was given what seemed to be a favorable matchup against Charleston, third in the region.

The game started in the right direction for SRU as it took a 1-0 lead after senior forward Jeremy Deighton scored in the ninth minute. He was assisted by sophomore defender Patrick Conley.After Charleston battled back to tie the game at one, sophomore forward Anthony Paganie drew a penalty kick for SRU. Sophomore forward Kenneth Fultz took the kick and scored, giving SRU a 2-1 lead.

The Golden Eagles tied the game at two and then went to take a 3-2 lead in the 83rd minute. That goal was the game-winner as SRU failed on a late attempt to tie the game.

Coach Matt Thompson knew the Rock would give everything it had and was proud of how it played.

"They gave everything they could out there and held nothing back, they didn't let anyone down," he said. "They left it all on the field."

The team has many solid accomplishments to look back on this season: it won the PSAC Championship and finished the season with the best record in school history at 18-4-1.

Even in its four losses, SRU still played close games, losing to Ashland University, Mercyhurst College and Charleston by one goal each, and losing to California University of Pennsylvania by two.

SRU also ended up with six players on the All-Region team. Deighton was named to the first team and received Daktronics NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Player of the Year. Defenders junior Thomas Pool and Conley joined Deighton on the first team, while junior goalkeeper Greg Blum and midfielders freshman Ben Lloyd and junior Toby Bowser were on the second team.

Deighton was proud to be part of a team that could accomplish the best record in school history by working together and fighting through a tough schedule.

"It is an awesome feeling to have the most wins in school history, it shows how hard the team worked all year," he said. "We had a hard schedule and it shows how skilled the team is."

The Rock will now look forward to next season with a solid set of players returning, losing only four seniors: Deighton, midfielder Shaun Reid, forward Iain Langstone and defender Josh Gauger.

Although these are major losses for the Rock, Thompson is confident it'll be able to build back a solid program by recruiting new players and having current players stepping up.

"We have a solid nucleus coming back," Thompson said. "We are strong defensively but we still need to recruit some midfielders and forwards and find current players to step up and fill roles."

Overall, the Rock achieved more than its past men's soccer programs have ever achieved.

Thompson, along with his staff and players, thanks the fans for their support all year, especially these past three games.

"It was a fantastic year," assistant coach Chris Logan said. "Many memorable moments. And when the dust all settled, I think we can look back and be proud for what we accomplished and know it was a great year."

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