Men’s Soccer Season Ends in NCAA Tournament

Game Book (PDF)
Postgame Press Conference: Head Coach Chris Grassie

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall men's soccer team fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to the Providence Friars, 2-1, in double overtime on Sunday at Hoops Family Field. The loss brings the 2021 season to a close.

The Thundering Herd, who were ranked No. 4 in the final regular season United Soccer Coaches/NCAA poll and the No. 14 seed in the tournament, end the year with an 11-4-3 record. The Friars, who are unseeded but ranked No. 18 in the poll, improve to 12-4-4. Providence's season will continue in the third round at No. 3 seed Georgetown on Sunday, Nov. 28.

"Providence started launching it long and throwing a lot of numbers forward and we weren't able to get enough pressure higher up the field to stop their deliveries," Herd head coach Chris Grassie said. "On the second goal, we had a couple of needless giveaways. We shouldn't have given the ball away those times, but then they were able to go wide and cross it in. We got beat on a giveaway and we got beat not pressing high enough to block shots.

"Credit to Providence. They continued to fight and were willing to throw numbers forward and we weren't making them pay for that on the back end of it."

Providence outshot the Herd 10-8 overall, however both teams had four shots on goal.

In the first half, when the weather was still nice before the rain came, Marshall had four total shots with one on goal and Providence had two shots with one on goal. Redshirt junior Milo Yosef came out on the charge with a shot in the first minute that was stopped by Lukas Burns, the Friars' keeper. Junior Alex Adjetey had the next two attempts that missed the mark in the 11th and 12th minutes.

The first shot from Providence was in the 17th minute that missed wide right. In the 18th minute, senior goalkeeper Oliver Semmle made his first save of the match to keep it scoreless. Yosef fired the last shot of the half in the 42nd minute that missed high.

The teams went in at the half scoreless. And just as soon as the players walked into the locker rooms for the break, the rain began to fall and got harder and steadier throughout the remainder of the match.

The Herd started the second half with a couple of chances from freshman Mohammed Seidu off a corner and then graduate student Pedro Dolabella just moments later around the 50th minute that were both stopped by Burns.

Finally, in the 56th minute Yosef dribbled down passed a couple of defenders on the far side of the 18-yard box. He then sent a low cross that Adjetey tapped in for the score to give Marshall a 1-0 lead. Adjetey scored his second goal of the season and Yosef tallied his eighth assist of the year, tying him with senior Vinicius Fernandes for the team lead.

In the 63rd minute, Semmle made a diving save to keep the advantage in favor of the Herd. However, the Friars kept on pushing and applying more pressure. Providence broke through in the 85th minute with a goal by Miguel Candela. The match was tied and neither team was able to produce another shot over the final moments of regulation. With the rain continuing to pour down on Hoops Family Field, the match went to overtime.

There was only one shot in the first overtime as both teams kept trying to feel their way around to find that hole to break through. Providence had a shot blocked by senior Nathan Dossantos in the 94th minute. The match remained deadlocked at 1-1 after 100 minutes of action.

Three minutes and seven seconds into the second overtime (104th minute), Davis Smith headed in a pass from Brendan McSorley that found the back of the net for the game-winner.

The senior class for the Herd in 2021 did not have the season end the way that they were looking for in attempting to defend the National Championship. However, it is a group of players that has completely changed the landscape for the Marshall men's soccer program moving forward. They leave Huntington with two Conference USA Championships to go along with the 2020 College Cup Title. They have moved the Herd into the top of the rankings and received numerous accolades and national attention.

"I told the seniors that I loved them, that I was proud of them," coach Grassie said. "Told them it sucks. We're all upset. But in the days to come we will just talk about the good times and the memories. They have raised the bar so high. Together, we have been able to take this program to unprecedented heights and they have been such a huge part of that. And we have done that all together.

"When they don't come back the place isn't going to be the same. But they have raised the standards and the expectation for the next generation. And they have also made it easier for the next Marshall soccer player to come on and get recognized nationally and move on to have a pro career.

"I love those guys. I'm proud of them."

For all of the latest information on the Marshall men's soccer team, follow the Herd on Twitter @HerdMSoccer, Facebook at Marshall University Soccer and on www.herdzone.com.

To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules, and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS or Android!

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Team Stats

Alexander Adjetey

Milo Yosef

Mohammed Seidu

Pedro Dolabella

Players Mentioned

Pedro Dolabella

Nathan Dossantos

Vinicius Fernandes

Mohammed Seidu

Oliver Semmle

Milo Yosef

Players Mentioned

Pedro Dolabella

Nathan Dossantos

Vinicius Fernandes

Mohammed Seidu

Oliver Semmle

Milo Yosef

Marshall University Athletics