2008 Woodie Awards
Ramblers put out the Flames
Flames fail to advance to tournament final after losing 2-1 on penalty kicks
Matt Piechalak
Issue date: 11/6/06 Section: Sports
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Media Credit: Rob FreemanBaggio Husidic and teammates walk off the field after a heartbreaking loss to Loyola in the semifinals.
It was the definition of a game of inches in last Friday's Horizon League Semifinal soccer match between cross town rivals UIC and Loyola. In the end, it was the 16th ranked Flames who would come out on the short end, falling to the Ramblers 2-1 in penalty kicks.
After Loyola's first penalty kick hit the post, UIC goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja's attempt would hit the crossbar. The Flames took a 1-0 lead in round 2 on a Cesar Zambrano strike to the left. The Ramblers Matt Marek would answer in Round 3, sending the ball past Bubonja. Bubonja and Loyola keeper Sean Bond would remain perfect in rounds 4 and 5, each making two saves and forcing a sixth round.
Loyola sub Markian Zyga would find the back of the net, and with a diving save to the left by Bond, the Ramblers eliminated UIC and kept their own NCAA hopes alive.
With school pride and the right to battle UW-Green Bay for the league crown on the line, neither team could find the back of the net on a cold and very electric night at Flames Field. It was the 12th shutout of the season for Bubonja and UIC, who have not allowed an opponent to score a goal in the last 288 minutes of play.
However, for the second straight contest, Horizon League Player of the Year, Tonci Skroce and the Flames could not find the back of the net either.
The game, a rematch of a 1-1 stalemate up at Loyola on Oct. 20, was highly physical and with a NCAA Tournament ticket awarded to the tournament winner, hotly contested.
In front of a crowd of 1,212, including the raucous Rambler fans, UIC would grab a 7-3 shots edge at halftime. Despite a four corner kicks and several chances, the Flames could not capitalize in the first half. Then, it got physical.
Sensing the urgency of the clock and the chants of the fans, both teams began to see the color yellow. Jockeying for position, Zambrano was issued a card at 54:17. Keum Sung Kim was carded at 69:09 after a take-down and several words to the referee. Less than two minutes later, Pavle Dundjer was carded for a tackle on Loyola's Eric Gehrig, and in the 81st minute, Reed Cataldo was issued a yellow after a harsh tackle on Zambrano.
Referee Mike Oliver called a total of 51 fouls in the tight match, but was unable to regain control in the second half, as a central focus of both teams became retaliation.
UIC had another five corner kicks and several golden chances to score late, but as the reality of a game decided by penalty kicks loomed over the field, the Rambler defense kept a close watch on their own goal.
Baggio Husidic led the Flames with four shots in the loss. UIC's NCAA Tournament hopes rest on an at-large bid which will be announced in the selection show on Monday, Nov. 7. UIC, one of only 7 teams in Division I with two losses or less, would grab another piece of school history with a first ever at-large bid.
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After Loyola's first penalty kick hit the post, UIC goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja's attempt would hit the crossbar. The Flames took a 1-0 lead in round 2 on a Cesar Zambrano strike to the left. The Ramblers Matt Marek would answer in Round 3, sending the ball past Bubonja. Bubonja and Loyola keeper Sean Bond would remain perfect in rounds 4 and 5, each making two saves and forcing a sixth round.
Loyola sub Markian Zyga would find the back of the net, and with a diving save to the left by Bond, the Ramblers eliminated UIC and kept their own NCAA hopes alive.
With school pride and the right to battle UW-Green Bay for the league crown on the line, neither team could find the back of the net on a cold and very electric night at Flames Field. It was the 12th shutout of the season for Bubonja and UIC, who have not allowed an opponent to score a goal in the last 288 minutes of play.
However, for the second straight contest, Horizon League Player of the Year, Tonci Skroce and the Flames could not find the back of the net either.
The game, a rematch of a 1-1 stalemate up at Loyola on Oct. 20, was highly physical and with a NCAA Tournament ticket awarded to the tournament winner, hotly contested.
In front of a crowd of 1,212, including the raucous Rambler fans, UIC would grab a 7-3 shots edge at halftime. Despite a four corner kicks and several chances, the Flames could not capitalize in the first half. Then, it got physical.
Sensing the urgency of the clock and the chants of the fans, both teams began to see the color yellow. Jockeying for position, Zambrano was issued a card at 54:17. Keum Sung Kim was carded at 69:09 after a take-down and several words to the referee. Less than two minutes later, Pavle Dundjer was carded for a tackle on Loyola's Eric Gehrig, and in the 81st minute, Reed Cataldo was issued a yellow after a harsh tackle on Zambrano.
Referee Mike Oliver called a total of 51 fouls in the tight match, but was unable to regain control in the second half, as a central focus of both teams became retaliation.
UIC had another five corner kicks and several golden chances to score late, but as the reality of a game decided by penalty kicks loomed over the field, the Rambler defense kept a close watch on their own goal.
Baggio Husidic led the Flames with four shots in the loss. UIC's NCAA Tournament hopes rest on an at-large bid which will be announced in the selection show on Monday, Nov. 7. UIC, one of only 7 teams in Division I with two losses or less, would grab another piece of school history with a first ever at-large bid.
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