University of Connecticut Athletics
Huskies Host Providence in BIG EAST Quarterfinal on Saturday
11/6/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 6, 2009
BIG EAST Quarterfinal: No. 8/8 UConn vs. Providence
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Date: Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
Time: 7:00 p.m. (EST)
Stadium: Morrone Stadium
Location: Storrs, Conn.
Series Record: UConn leads series 29-4-2
Last Meeting: Oct. 6, 2009; UConn W, 4-0
MEDIA COVERAGE
Radio: 91.7 WHUS and WHUS.org
Live Stats: Gametracker at UConnHuskies.com
Live Video: Huskies' All-Access at UConnHuskies.com
BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTERFINALS
UConn will take on Providence in a 2009 BIG EAST Championship quarterfinal match at Morrone Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7:00 p.m. The Huskies are 11-3-3 on the year, while Providence is 9-6-3 overall this season.
Providence enters the Saturday night game after defeating Villanova 2-1 on Wednesday afternoon in Villanova, Pa. With the win, the Friars travel to Storrs, Conn. to take on the No. 1 seed from the Blue Division in quarterfinal action.
The Huskies are 8-1-0 at home this season, while posting an 9-1-1 record in their last 11 contests as they have allowed just three goals during that span.
BIG EAST BLUE DIVISION CHAMPIONS
UConn used a 3-0 win over Marquette to earn the 2009 BIG EAST Blue Division Championship title on Monday, Nov. 2 in front of a crowd of 2,140 at Morrone Stadium. The victory gave the Huskies their 18th BIG EAST title during their 27-year stint in the conference, while it was UConn's 11th BIG EAST Regular Season title over all. UConn has won at least a share of the conference crown three times in the last five seasons.
In both of those seasons, 2005 and 2007, the Huskies have gone on to win the BIG EAST Tournament crown. Since head coach Ray Reid took over at the helm of the UConn men's soccer program, the Huskies have won seven regular season championships, including titles in almost every other year beginning in 1998. Under the leadership of Reid, the Huskies won the BIG EAST Regular Season title in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2009.
UConn goalkeeper Josh Ford recorded his 12th shutout of the season as his career tally improved to 38. With the 38 career shutouts, Ford moves into a tie for first on UConn's all-time career shutout list with former Husky, Adam Schuerman, who lettered for UConn during the 2002-05 seasons.
HUSKIES IN THE BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP
UConn is 27-15-3 in BIG EAST Tournament postseason play since joining the conference in 1982. The Huskies are tied with St. John's with seven all-time tournament titles, while UConn has the second-most tournament wins with 27 (St. John's has 28).
The Huskies are 24-8-2 in BIG EAST Tournament action when playing on their home field. Under head coach Ray Reid, UConn has won four BIG EAST Tournament titles, including the 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2007 seasons.
THE MATCH-UP
The Huskies are 29-4-2 against Providence, including their 4-0 win over the Friars earlier this season. At home against Providence, the Huskies are 15-1-1 overall.
In BIG EAST postseason action, UConn has faced Providence just one time in BIG EAST Tournament play, as the Huskies defeated the Friars 1-0 in 1984, which was just the Huskies' third year in the conference.
UCONN LEADERS
UConn sophomore Tony Cascio is leading the Huskies in 2009 with a seven goals and five assists for a team-best 19 points. Carlos Alvarez has a team-best 11 assists with three goals for 17 points as well, as Alan Ponce has 16 points on six goals and four assists.
Josh Ford has made 63 consecutive career starts as the redshirt junior has 55 saves this season, while recording 12 shutouts. With a 0.51 goals against average, Ford has allowed just nine goals all year and has a .859 save percentage.
SHUTTING DOWN THE OPPOSITION
UConn did not allow a goal in 799:39 minutes of play during the midway point of the season, while the Huskies outscored teams 17-0 during that time. Josh Ford and the Huskies have 12 shutouts on the year and have won 11 games so far this season, marking the sixth straight season that UConn has registered 10 or more wins.
FINDING THEIR OFFENSE
On the year, UConn has scored 28 goals and registered 38 assists for 94 points, while Tony Cascio has a team-best seven goals on the season after scoring two in the 3-1 win over Seton Hall. It was the second time Cascio has registered two goals in a game this season after doing so against Providence back on Oct. 5.
In 2008, UConn tallied just 23 goals and 27 assists for 73 points. Carlos Alvarez has been playing like a veteran this season, recording three goals and 11 assists for 17 points for the Huskies. Prior to UConn's 2-1 loss to Notre Dame, Alvarez registered at least one point in the previous four contests. Also in the last eight games, UConn has recorded 19 goals, more than half of what the Huskies have registered this season.
SCOUTING THE FRIARS
Providence enters the BIG EAST Quarterfinal contest with an overall record of 9-6-3, while finishing the regular season as the fifth seed in the Blue Division with a BIG EAST mark of 5-4-2.
Tim Ritter leads the Friars with five goals for 10 points, while Matt Marcin has four goals and two assists for 10 points. Marcin has recorded 45 shots, including 20 on goal to lead Providence to nine wins in 2009. In net for the Friars in Tim Murray, who has played in 17 games, allowing 16 goals, while picking up 59 saves and eight shutouts.
In BIG EAST play, Providence has scored 10 goals in 11 games, while allowing 10 to its opponents as the Friars with 5-4-2 in conference action.
HE'S ONLY A FRESHMAN?
Carlos Alvarez has begun his career with the UConn men's soccer team by winning three consecutive BIG EAST Rookie of the Week honors and has recorded 17 points on three goals and a team-high 11 assists. This season he was also named TopDrawerSoccer's Player of the Week and earned on spot on their Division I Men's College Team of the Week (Oct. 19). Alvarez also leads the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer and the BIG EAST Conference in assists with his 11 this season.
IN THE RANKINGS
UConn enters tonight's game ranked eighth in the latest Soccer America Poll as well as the NSCAA/adidas Poll. College Soccer News ranked the Huskies at No. 11, the same spot as the Soccer Times Poll. UConn enter tonight's contest ranked at the top of the Northeast Region by the NSCAA. The second RPI of the season came out on Oct. 28 and shows the Huskies at No. 30, behind BIG EAST opponent St. John's (27).
IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Josh Ford is currently in the top-10 in wins (42), fewest losses (10), lowest GAA (0.44) and shutouts (38) in the Huskies' career record book. He has made 63 consecutive starts in his career, a program-best. His 38 shutouts is also tied for the program-best. Mike Pezza has 34 career assists, putting him in sixth place among UConn's all-time assist leaders.
MORE INFORMATION ON BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE UCONN HUSKIES
For more information on the BIG EAST Championship or your UConn Huskies men's soccer team, visit UConnHuskies.com!!
