Huskies Lose Overtime Thriller to Seattle U in NCAA Tournament Opener

Thursday, November 16

Seattle, Wash.

6:00 PM

University of Washington

12-7-1

Seattle

15-3-4

OT 2

Seattle

Washington

Huskies Lose Overtime Thriller to Seattle U in NCAA Tournament Opener

November 16, 2017 | Men's Soccer

Box Score

SEATTLE --- Washington's season came to a crushing end in the first round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament as Seattle U's goal eight minutes into overtime gave the Redhawks a 3-2 victory in a hard-fought game between the two cross town rivals on Thursday night at Husky Soccer Stadium.

The Huskies end their season with a 12-7-1 overall record while the Redhawks improve to 15-3-4.

The match was everything one would expect between these two rivals with the teams each recording 15 shots and keeping pace with each other throughout. However, it was Seattle U's Gabriel Ruiz who netted the match winner in the 98^th minute off an assist by Alex Roldan to send the Redhawks on to Akron and the second round of the tournament.

Overtime has not been kind to Washington this season as the Huskies fall to 0-3-1 in overtime contests with all three of their four home losses coming after 90 minutes.

"It's become a good rivalry game, said Washington head coach Jamie Clark. "It's a lot of fun but it's only fun if you end up on the winning side. I would gladly trade our win a month ago on for a win tonight. At the end of the day, if you don't capitalize on your chances--and we had many to capitalize on--it's not going to go your way and it didn't tonight."

After Seattle dominated possession for the first five minutes of the game, Washington was able to flip the field and had a number of great chances over the next 20 minutes. They culminated in the first goal of the match in the 24^th minute. Justin Fiddes started the play with a throw in down the left side that led Blake Bodily to the end line. He took one touch then crossed it into a crowd in the box where Kyle Coffee came in from the right side and slotted it to the far post for the goal.

The lead lasted just 15 minutes as Seattle found the equalizer in the 39^th minute. A great through ball by an on-rushing Sergio Rivas found the feet of Habib Barry behind the defense. Kerawala rushed off his line to try to intercept, but Barry got to it first and kicked it past the keeper to the far post.

In the second half, Washington had an incredible chance to take the lead back in the 54^th minute. Handwalla Bwana sent a corner kick into the goal mouth which found the head John Magnus on the left side. His header beat the keeper and looked to be headed into the goal but Gabriel Ruiz calmly cleared it off the line and out of danger.

Seattle U would take its first lead of the match in the 63^rd minute as Medo Youssef fed Sergio Rivas with a great behind the leg flick. Rivas then cracked a shot from 28 yards out on the right side past the diving keeper to put the Redhawks on top.

Washington got a look at a tie in the 72^nd minute as Joey Parish cracked a shot from just inside the box but it was saved by a diving keeper. Off the ensuing corner, the Huskies had a couple of chances but just couldn't get off a good shot.

Just under a minute later, Washington had another great chance as Elijah Rice got under a cross but his header went just over the bar.

The Huskies finally got the tying goal in the 80^th minute as Rice pressured the Redhawks' backline into a bad turnover, then took the ball in 1v1 and beat the keeper with a quick shot to the far post.

Each team had a great chance to win in regulation. The Huskies appeared to have a penalty kick in the 84^th minute as Coffee chased a through ball on a breakaway and appeared to be taken down by the keeper's legs after he missed the ball on a slide. But no foul was called and Seattle cleared it from danger.

With under a minute to go in regulation, Seattle caught the Huskies with a quick counter and had a 4-on-3 break. But Ryan DeGroot, who was making just his third start of the season, made a great sliding tackle to stop the break and end the threat.

Neither team had a great chance in the overtime period which saw both battle at midfield. Seattle recorded just two shots including the match-winner.