Colleges

Fun over for Lions soccer

By JEREMY RASMUSSEN
Published November 14, 2005

After achieving unprecedented success, including its first berth in the NCAA Division II soccer tournament, Saint Leo's dream season ended Sunday with a 3-1 loss to visiting Lynn University in the South Region championship.

Lynn (15-2) avenged a 2-1 overtime loss Oct.22 and advanced to the national quarterfinals.

"(Lynn's) defense was superior," Saint Leo coach Joel Harrison said. "When you have three balls fended off on the end line, there is not much more one can say. They did what they had to do to win."

After losing its first Sunshine State Conference match to Rollins 2-0 on Sept.16, the Lions (15-2) won their next seven and earned their first conference title in any sport after 30 years in the SSC.

Saint Leo went up 1-0 in the ninth minute when senior midfielder Danny Rissanen scored on a free kick from 25 yards.

The Knights tied it four minutes later when Carl Wallace got his 10th goal of the season on a cross from Chris Knox. It was Knox's fifth assist in two games.

Lee Porter was taken down in the box 21 minutes in and awarded a penalty kick, which he converted past Lions keeper Matias Perez to put Lynn up 2-1. Lee Paul Scroggins gave the Knights an insurance goal in the 49th minute on a cross from Kenneth Viquez.

Saint Leo outshot Lynn 21-12, and three times Knights defenders cleared the ball off the goal line.

USF falls in title game

STORRS, Conn. - Brian White scored in the 13th minute to give Connecticut a 1-0 victory over USF in the Big East title game, spoiling the Bulls' first appearance in the conference final.

"I think that we were a little overwhelmed by the atmosphere early on," USF coach George Kiefer said. "We were on our heels during the first 15 minutes, and that cost us. You don't want to give up an early goal to Connecticut, as good as they are defensively."

White headed a shot into the back of the net after Huskies forward Stanley Ford crossed the ball into the 18-yard box.

FSU 2, ILLINOIS 1: Sel Kuralay and India Trotter scored as the Seminole women advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament. Second-seeded FSU (19-3-0) hosts third-seeded California (16-3-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday.

VOLLEYBALL: Setter Angie McGinnis had 35 assists, five kills and four aces as host Florida swept Mississippi State 30-13, 30-21,30-17. The Gators earned the top seed in the SEC tournament and open Friday against Georgia. ... Visiting South Florida fell to Long Island 30-22, 30-24, 30-26. Its season finale is Wednesday at home against North Florida.

GOLF: The Florida women's team finished its fall season with a 3-2-0 win over Tulane in the consolation match of the Hooters Match Play Championship at Howey-in-the-Hills.

CROSS COUNTRY: The men got an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships Nov.21 in Terre Haute, Ind., the team's second straight trip to the tournament.

Information from other news organizations was used in the report.

[Last modified November 14, 2005, 01:04:15]