UMKC 2008 Men's Soccer Postseason Media Guide by John Roushkolb

2008 Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Soccer Postseason Media Guide

2008 Men’s Soccer Game Notes Kangaroos Set For First Round Matchup With Tulsa On Friday Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa NCAA Tournament First Round Friday, November 21, 2008 – 7 p.m. Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium)

After capturing the third league tournament title in program history, the UMKC men’s soccer team is set to take on Tulsa in the first round of the 2008 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament on Friday. The match kicks off at 7 p.m. from the Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium in Tulsa, Okla., with live stats available at www.umkckangaroos.com.

About The Golden Hurricane

In his 14th year at the helm of his alma mater, Tom McIntosh piloted Tulsa to a 15-3-3 mark on the 2008 regular season slate, culminating in a Conference USA “double.” The Golden Hurricane claimed the regular season championship with a 7-0-1 record before blazing through the postseason tournament to claim the automatic berth with a shootout win over Kentucky. After suffering a three-game losing stretch in the early part of September (including a 1-0 loss to Summit League squad Oakland), Tulsa has not lost in 15 straight matches, posting a 13-0-2 record over the stretch. Tulsa, ranked no. 6 in the final NSCAA/adidas national poll, is led on the offensive side of the ledger by Austin Neil’s 24 points (10 g, 4 a), with Ashley McInnes (5 g, 7 a) and Jose Parada (6 g, 5 a) each adding 17 points on the campaign. The Golden Hurricane have three other players that have struck for three or more goals on the season, having tallied 42 goals. Defensively, Tyrel Lacey has seen the majority of time in net for the Golden Hurricane, posting a 0.60 goals-against average with seven shutouts on the season. He has recorded a 13-3-3 record, playing 1814:21 on the campaign. Andy Aguilar has also seen time in goal for Tulsa, posting wins in both of his outings, with a 1.23 GAA in just under 150 minutes.

2008 Schedule Date

Opponent

Sat., Aug. 16 Fri., Aug. 22 Sun., Aug. 24 Fri., Aug. 29 Sun., Aug. 31 Fri., Sep. 5 Sun., Sep. 7 Sat., Sep. 13

at Drury (Exhibition) T 0-0 at William Jewell (Exhibition) W 4-1 at Kansas City Wizards (Exh.) L 1-8

Gonzaga/Nike Soccer Classic (Spokane, Wash.)

Fri., Sep. 19 Sun., Sep. 21 Sat., Sep. 27 Tue., Sep. 30 Sat., Oct. 4 Sat., Oct. 11 Wed., Oct. 15 Sat., Oct. 18 Sat., Oct. 25 Tue., Oct. 28 Sat., Nov. 1 Sat., Nov. 8

at Gonzaga vs. Oregon St. ¾ IPFW #19/#24 Drake ¾ IUPUI (Homecoming) ¾ at Western Illinois Rockhurst Central Arkansas ¾ Oral Roberts (Senior Day) Missouri State ¾ at Centenary ¾ at Oakland

The Summit League Championships

at #16 Illinois-Chicago at Eastern Illinois at Florida Atlantic at Florida International at #3/#2 Creighton

Fri., Nov. 14 Semi-Finals #1 Oakland vs. #4 IUPUI #3 UMKC vs. #2 W. Illinois Sun., Nov. 16 Championship #3 UMKC at #1 Oakland

Last Time Out

In four attempts, UMKC has never been bested in a penalty shootout in the league tournament. Sunday’s 4-3 defeat marks the second time that the Blue-and-Gold have snuffed the tournament hopes of Oakland, as the Kangaroos’ semifinal match in 2001 also saw a 4-3 shootout win. UMKC also downed Western Illinois 3-0 en route to the 2003 league tournament title, besting Oral Roberts by a 4-2 scoreline in 2006. The game also marked the first time that The Summit League tournament championship match was decided by a shootout, although the 2000 title match was contested through three overtimes before Oakland succumbed to IUPUI.

Cooper Leads All-Tournament Team Selections

After posting 16 saves and a 0.41 goals-against average over two games, Ken Cooper was tabbed as the Most Valuable Player of The Summit League Men’s Soccer Championship, picking up his second all-tournament team nod in as many trips to the postseason. He was joined on the all-tournament team by Brian Harris, Bryan Perez and John Bayron Sosa, each of whom had a hand in UMKC’s goals notes continued on pg. 3

www.umkckangaroos.com

L 2-3 (OT) L 1-5 W 4-0 W 4-3 W 3-0 L 0-1 (2 OT) W 3-2 (2 OT) W 3-1 W 3-1 W 1-0 L 1-2 (2 OT) L 1-2

4-0 Oakland W 1-0 (2 OT) T 1-1 (2 OT) 4:3 p.s.o. 7 p.m. 7 p.m.

¾ - Summit League Match Home Games at Bourke Field (53rd St. and Tracy Ave.) All times listed as Central time zone and are subject to change Rankings are NSCAA/other at time of game OR NCAA Tournament Seed

Game Facts

Spot On

Although the Kangaroos stumbled slightly throughout the season, making just two of four penalty attempts after seeing a string of 14 consecutive makes snapped in the opening month of the campaign, their success in penalty shootouts can’t be denied.

T 2-2 (2 OT) L 2-3 W 3-1 T 2-2 (2 OT) W 1-0

NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament

Fri., Nov. 21 at Tulsa Tues., Nov. 25 at #7 Creighton

Ken Cooper continued his outstanding run in The Summit League Championships, recording seven saves in the run of play and one crucial stop in the penalty shootout as UMKC captured its third league tournament title in 13 appearances in the postseason. The Kangaroos battled 10-man Oakland to a 1-1 tie over the first 110 minutes, before striking on all four of their attempts from the spot en route to a 4-3 shootout win.

Kickoff/Result

University of Tulsa

Head Coach Tom McIntosh (Tulsa, ‘88) At School 151-102-24 (14th season) Career Record same 2007 Record 15-3-2 (6-0-2 - 1st) Starters R/L 6/5 Lettermen R/L 15/8 Newcomers 10 Last Postseason 2007 NCAA Second Rd. All-time Div. I (First year) 308-203-42 (1980) UMKC Record In Series 1-8-1 (9 gf, 33 ga) Last Meeting 2005 - Tulsa 2, UMKC 2 (2 OT)

Media Information

Soccer Contact Stephanie Hall p 918-631-2163 c 918-232-2393 e stephanie-hall@utulsa.edu

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

institutionalinformation Location

Kansas City, Mo.

Founded 1933

Nickname

Kangaroos

Colors

Blue and Gold

Enrollment 14,221

Affiliation

NCAA Division I

Conference

The Summit League

Home Field

Bourke Field (53rd St. and Tracy Ave., Kansas City, Mo.)

Capacity 500

Chancellor

Leo Morton (Interim)

Director of Athletics Tim Hall

Web Site

www.umkckangaroos.com

Athletics Dept. Phone 816-235-1036

Athletics Dept. Fax 816-235-1035

men’s soccerinformation First Year 1987

All-time record

147-221-25 (.406)

Summit League record 52-36-3 (.588)

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

The longest tenured and most successful coach in UMKC men’s soccer history, Rick Benben is beginning his 11th season at the helm. Under his guidance, UMKC teams have captured two Mid-Continent Conference soccer championships and made two appearances in the NCAA College Cup. Benben, the fourth head coach in the Division I era for UMKC, begins the 2008 season with 73 wins to his credit. He has had more than 40 players named to all-conference teams and seven to all-region squads. UMKC qualified for The Summit League Championships in 2007, the second consecutive appearance and the ninth of his career. He has compiled a record of 29-24-2 in league play, claiming three Coach of the Year honors. The most recent accolade came on the heels of the 2003 season. The Kangaroos finished the campaign with a 10-7-3 overall record (5-1-0 conference) and an appearance in the NCAA College Cup. The Kangaroos captured the first league “double” in school history as they finished atop the regular season table before capturing the conference tournament championship. On the 2001 campaign, Benben led his team to the best season in UMKC’s Division I history, putting together a 12-7-1 overall record and winning the first league tournament championship in school history. With their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the Blue-and-Gold picked up the only NCAA Tournament win for any team sport at UMKC, knocking off UW-Milwaukee in the first round by a 2-1 overtime scoreline. In addition to his success with UMKC, Benben has a storied soccer career. As a player at Southern IllinoisEdwardsville, he was a three-year letterwinner at goalkeeper, backstopping the squad to a national championship in 1972. Benben became an assistant coach at SIU-E after his graduation in 1973, helping to lead the team to another national championship in 1979. In 1982 he became assistant coach and director of player personnel for the Kansas City Comets of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was named head coach of the Comets in 1984, midway through the 1983-84 season. His squad recovered to finish fourth in the Western Division, falling in a five-game playoff series to the St. Louis Steamers. During his tenure with the Comets, he missed the playoffs just once, during the 1986-87 season, his final full season with the team.

Last Post Season

2007 - First Round v. Oakland (1-2)

NCAA Tournament Record

1-2 2003 - v. Creighton (0-6) 2001 - v. UW-Milwaukee (2-1 ot); v. Saint Louis (1-2)

coachingstaff Head Coach

Rick Benben (SIU-Edwardsville ‘73) 11th season Career record 83-102-19 (.453) / 32-25-2 (.550) UMKC record - same 816-235-5469 - p; benbenr@umkc.edu - e

Assistant Coach

Fred Schlichting (Notre Dame ‘95) 11th season 816-235-5830 - p; schlichtingf@umkc.edu - e

Since 1987, he has been the director of Rick Benben Soccer Camps in Lenexa, Kan., helping to educate young elite-level soccer players during the summer. He received his bachelor’s degree in physical education and health in 1973 and a master’s degree in education administration and supervision in 1976, both from SIU-E. Benben and his wife, Meg, have three children: Matt, Rachel and Andrea. The Benbens reside in Lenexa, Kan.

Rick Benben

Head Coach - 11th Season SIU-Edwardsville ‘73

Volunteer Assistant

Beau Williams – 1st season

Student Manager

Andy Clarke – 2nd season

2007in review 2007 Record 7-8-4

2007 Summit League Record/Finish 2-2-2/4th

Final Ranking None

Letterwinners Returning/Lost

13/7 Caleb Mitchell lettered in 2006, but missed the 2007 season due to injury.

Starters Returning/Lost 8/3

Newcomers 5

mediainformation

Mailing Address

UMKC Athletics 5100 Rockhill Rd., SRC 201 Kansas City, MO 64110-2499

Men’s Soccer Contact

John Roushkolb - Graduate Assistant JohnRoushkolb@umkc.edu - e 816-235-1053 - p 316-393-5227 - c

Shipping Address

UMKC Athletics 5030 Holmes, SRC 201 Kansas City, MO 64110

Sports Information Director James Allan allanjc@umkc.edu - e 816-235-1034 - p 319-621-7893 - c

usagerequest

Ass’t Sports Information Director Brooke Orcutt orcuttb@umkc.edu - e 816-235-6618 - p 816-830-4088 - c

www.umkckangaroos.com

Please use “UMKC” in all references to the institution’s intercollegiate athletics programs. The preferred usage for our mascot is Kangaroos in all references, although Roos is acceptable in headline copy as well as second and subsequent references in body copy. On May 6, 2008, UMKC Athletics adopted a new identity system for launch during the 2008-09 academic year. Please refrain from using earlier variations of our logos. To obtain print-ready versions of UMKC’s new logo, please contact UMKC Sports Information.

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

over the weekend. Harris struck for the game-tying tally in the championship against Oakland, while Sosa assisted Perez on the game-winner against Western Illinois.

Harris Named Player Of The Year

Senior Brian Harris was named The Summit League Offensive Player of the Year on Thursday, on the strength of his 11-goal, four-assist output throughout the 2008 regular season. He was joined as a member of the first team allSummit League squad by Bryan Perez. Senior Levi Coleman, junior John David Hernandez and sophomore John Bayron Sosa were all tabbed second team honorees, with Coleman adding an all-Newcomer team selection to his resume as well. Harris’ nod as Player of the Year marks the first time since the 2001 season that a player for the Blue-and-Gold was selected for the top honor, as Larry Scheller - the first men’s soccer inductee into the UMKC Athletics Hall of Fame - was recognized prior to the Kangaroos’ league tournament win.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Extra Time Finally Good To The Roos

The Kangaroos have traditionally not enjoyed overtime matches over the past several years, as wins have been somewhat sparse. The Kangaroos notched their second overtime against Western Illinois on Friday, the first time since the 2001 season that UMKC has prevailed twice in the extra stanza. Rick Benben’s first season at the helm marked the best overtime record ever for the Kangaroos, as UMKC posted a 3-1 record on the year. The Kangaroos 3-2 win over Rockhurst marked the first overtime win since October 13, 2004 - also a 3-2 win - at UIC.

Exciting, Attacking Football

The Blue-and-Gold continued to show the offensive prowess that Rick Benben’s teams have been known for, closing out the regular season with 36 goals, matching the previous high water mark established in the 2001 season. That tally found the Kangaroos on great ground, as the Blue-and-Gold picked up a Mid-Con Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The Kangaroos surpassed the 35-goal tally of the 2003 side that also captured Mid-Con Tournament honors and a second berth in the NCAA Tournament. UMKC has recorded 38 goals on the season, the third-highest total of the Benben era and the fourth-best total in program history. The 2001 squad finished with 41 goals on the year, posting three tallies in NCAA Tournament action.

What Up, B?

Uphill. Both Ways. In The Snow.

Although the old adage is typically attributed to a kindly old curmudgeon figure, the 2008 Kangaroos will be able to tell their kids that they did, indeed, have to fight an uphill battle, both ways, in the snow en route to the 2008 Summit League Championship. As the first half kicked off, the Kangaroos were playing into the wind. In the 37th minute of the match, snow flurries started trickling down. Halftime saw a full-blown snow shower hit the field, with the wind switching directions and leaving the Kangaroos kicking off the second half into the wind on a field that eventually became a blur of white. Fortunately, the snow blew over just as quickly as it had started, with the precipitation melting into the grass.

On Their Best Behavior

The Kangaroos have been making a strong case for a fair play award throughout the season as well, committing just 221 fouls - finishing second in the league regular season standings to Centenary - while their opponents have been whistled 305 times on the year.

It must be good to be named Brian (or Bryan), as three of the five Kangaroo hat tricks overall have come from players bearing that name. Brian Harris and Bryan Perez have each struck for three goals in a game on the 2008 slate, with Brian Garcia recording the most recent - prior to this season - during the 2004 season. Brian Wallace also tallied a brace for the Kangaroos, scoring two goals against Valparaiso on the 2000 season.

The Magic Number

For the second time in program history, UMKC roared from the no. 3 position in the league tournament to claim top honors, also mustering a tournament title in 2003 from the bottom half of the bracket. The Kangaroos must have felt a twinge of deja vu, as the schedule was the same as in 2003, although the results were flipped - UMKC battled WIU to a 1-1 tie in the semifinals before advancing in a penalty shootout and bested Oakland by a 1-0 scoreline.

The Summit League At A Glance League Standings W L Oakland 5 1 Western Illinois 3 2 UMKC 3 3 IUPUI 3 3 Oral Roberts 2 2 Centenary 2 4 IPFW 1 3

T 0 1 0 0 1 0 2

Pts. 15 10 9 9 7 6 5

Overall Standings W L Oakland 14 4 Western Illinois 12 5 UMKC 10 6 IUPUI 8 9 Oral Roberts 5 8 Centenary 5 8 IPFW 3 11

T 1 3 3 2 2 1 3

Pct. .763 .675 .605 .474 .400 .393 .265

Pct. .833 .583 .500 .500 .500 .333 .333 Stk T1 L1 T1 L2 L3 W2 W1

Stk W4 W1 L2 L1 L2 W1 W1 GF 34 24 38 18 23 13 14

GF 9 6 12 4 5 5 3 GA 11 14 29 28 25 24 29

GA 2 4 6 8 5 10 8 H 7-0-1 2-1-2 7-0-0 5-2-1 4-2-0 3-1-1 2-3-2

H 3-0-0 2-0-1 3-0-0 2-1-0 2-1-0 2-1-0 1-1-1

A 2-1-0 1-2-0 0-3-0 1-2-0 0-1-1 0-2-0 0-2-1

A 5-4-0 8-3-0 2-5-3 2-5-1 1-4-2 2-5-0 0-8-1

N 2-0-0 2-0-1 1-1-0 1-1-0 0-2-0 0-2-0 1-0-0

Schedule/Results all times local to site (Home team listed second) Friday, Nov. 21

UMKC at Tulsa

Saturday, Nov. 22

Ohio State at Oakland

7 p.m. 1 p.m.

O 0-1-1 3-0-1 1-2-3 0-0-2 1-1-2 4-0-1 0-1-3

www.umkckangaroos.com

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Projected Starters

Not So Dirty Dozen

Senior Brian Harris tied the single-season goal scoring record for UMKC in Sunday’s championship match, as his 68th-minute strike was the Edwardsville, Ill., native’s 12th of the year. He matched the mark set by Mike Anderson in 1996, in the fourth year of Mike Brown’s tenure.

Vote Early, Vote Often

Senior Garret Guthrie was named a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, one of the most prestigious awards in college athletics. The winner, who will be recognized at the NCAA College Cup, will be selected based on voting from media, coaches and fans. Up until November 19th, fans could vote for Guthrie at www.seniorclassaward.com, with fan balloting counting for one-third of the total tally for the award. Coaches and media also vote for the honor.

Three Tabbed For ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District Team

Garret Guthrie nabbed his third consecutive nod to the ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District Team this season, and was joined by Brian Harris and Matt Kopsky. For the 2008 season, the minimum cumulative GPA was increased to 3.30, with all three easily surpassing the mark. The Kangaroos led the way in The Summit League, with three of the six honorees coming from the Blue-and-Gold.

Hat Trick Begets Hat Trick

After recording a hat trick against Oral Roberts in league play earlier this season, Brian Harris recorded a hat trick of another color, earning Summit League Offensive Player of the Week honors for the third time on the 2008 season. The trifecta marks the first time in program history that the Kangaroos have had a player nab weekly honors three times on the year, with the Blue-and-Gold continuing to expand the total count beyond previous program highs. Bryan Perez also swept up a trifecta earlier this season. On the strength of the first hat trick for UMKC since the 2004 season, the Miami, Fla., native was named The Summit League Offensive Player of the Week, also earning a nod as a member of collegesoccernews.com‘s National Team of the Week. Tuesday, he snapped up another indivdual honor as Soccer America tabbed him as a member of the week’s best XI. UMKC’s upset of #3/#2 Creighton sparked the first busy week for the men’s soccer program with regards to weekly individual accolades, starting with the recognition of Harris and Ken Cooper as offensive and defensive Players of the Week for The Summit League. It was the first time that UMKC had swept the weekly league honors since the 2004 season, when Brian Garcia and Blake Martin picked up the offensive and defensive honors, respectively, on November 4.

University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane # 0 7 11 6 20 14 17 10 4 8 13

Pos GK DEF DEF DEF MID MID MID MID FWD FWD FWD

Name Tyrel Lacey Chris Taylor Chris Clements Justin Chavez Jeovahnni Sandez Blaine Gonsalves Joe Salem Eric DeFreitas Ashley McInnes Jose Parada Austin Neil

Hometown (Last School) Jenks, Okla. (Jenks HS) Edmond, Okla. (Casady HS) Allen, Texas (Allen HS) Edmond, Okla. (Edmond Memorial HS) San Diego, Calif. (Montgomery HS) Ewa Beach, Hawai’i (Iolani HS) Copley, Ohio (St. Vincent-St. Mary HS) Coppell, Texas (Coppell HS) Aberdeen, Scotland (Westhill Academy) Houston, Texas (Bellaire HS) Broken Arrow, Okla. (Metro Christian Acad.)

UMKC Kangaroos # 1 2 16 6 18 10 9 11 8 7 14

Pos GK DEF DEF DEF MID MID MID MID MID FWD FWD

Name Ken Cooper John David Hernandez Chris Markey Brian Quintana Miguel Rodrigues (Capt.) Bryan Perez Levi Coleman John Bayron Sosa Garret Guthrie Brian Harris Caleb Mitchell

Hometown (Last School) St. Louis, Mo. (Oakville HS) Miami, Fla. (Felix Verela HS) Birmingham, Ala. (Oak Mountain HS) Miami, Fla. (Florida Christian HS) Miami, Fla. (Killian HS) Miami, Fla. (Killian HS) Broken Arrow, Okla. (Florida Int’l) St. Cloud, Fla. (Gateway HS) Wichita, Kan. (Maize HS) Edwardsville, Ill. (SW Illinois Coll.) Ottawa, Kan. (Ottawa HS)

0 6

Matt Kopsky added his name to the list later in the day, earning a nod on collegesoccernews.com’s team of the week. In the last, Cooper would be the best, earning the first-ever selection for a UMKC player to the Soccer America team of the week.

11 17

7 14 20

4 13

Cooper returns to the Soccer America National Team of the week on the strength of his MVP performance in the Summit League Championships.

7 14 18

2008 Weekly Accolades Brian Harris (Summit League Offensive Player of the Week - September 2) Brian Harris (Summit League Offensive Player of the Week - September 15) Ken Cooper (Summit League Defensive Player of the Week - September 15) Matt Kopsky (collegesoccernews.com National Team of the Week - September 15) Ken Cooper (Soccer America National Team of the Week - September 16) Ken Cooper (STLsoccer.net Player of the Week - September 30) Bryan Perez (Summit League Offensive Player of the Week - October 6) Bryan Perez (collegesoccernews.com National Team of the Week - October 6) Bryan Perez (Soccer America National Team of the Week - October 7) Brian Harris (Summit League Offensive Player of the Week - October 27) Ken Cooper (Soccer America National Team of the Week - November 17)

16 1

Seven’s Heaven

Although the Kangaroos have been forced to spend the past two seasons as renters at Bourke Field, the squad has certainly made the best of the temporary

www.umkckangaroos.com

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

home in 2008, keeping a perfect record on the year. The 7-0 record marks the first time in program history that the Blue-and-Gold came out on top in every home match on the year. The perfection stretches back into the 2007 season as well, with the streak extending to 10 straight home games. UMKC has won 11 games on the trot at Bourke Field, as the 2007 meeting between Rockhurst and UMKC went into the books as a home game for Rockhurst.

Benben Inducted Into SIU Edwardsville Athletics Hall Of Fame

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

they’ve faced. Two of the three upsets have come at home, as UMKC bested #7 Marquette in 2000 by a 3-1 scoreline at Swope Park and handed #5 Santa Clara a 2-1 defeat in 2003, en route to the Kangaroos’ second NCAA Tournament appearance. UMKC nearly handed #3 SMU another upset in 2006, but the Mustangs would benefit from a late goal to prevail 2-1. On the 2008 season, the Kangaroos are unbeaten against teams ranked in the top-25, besting both #3 Creighton and #19 Drake after earning a 2-2 draw against then #16 UIC.

At The Summit Of The Summit

On Saturday, October 18, UMKC men’s soccer head coach Rick Benben was inducted into the Southern Illinois University Edwardsvile Athletics Hall of Fame. A standout player and coach for the Cougars, Benben picked up national championships as both a player and coach, in 1972 and 1979 respectively.

Not Rain, Nor Snow, Nor Gloom Of Night

Bryan Perez must be honoring the old saw describing the dedication of the letter carriers of the United States Postal Service, as he has not missed a single game due to injury or suspension during his career at UMKC. He has recorded 58 consecutive appearances for the Blue-and-Gold, all of them in the starting XI.

Not Plane, Nor Bird, Nor Even Frog

During head coach Rick Benben’s tenure, the Blue-and-Gold have relished the role of the underdog quite a bit, knocking off three of the four top-10 teams

The Kangaroos finished the regular season as one of only two teams with a positive goal differential, with Oakland just nipping the Kangaroos in the final game of the season (+9 to +8) with the 2-1 win. Although Oakland took advantage of a pair of first-half goals to rout IUPUI in the tournament, the Blue-and-Gold still lead the league in all three offensive categories (goals - 38, assists - 34, points - 110). Individually, the Blue-and-Gold boast a 1-2 punch in the scoring table, with Brian Harris on 28 points and Bryan Perez on 26. UMKC also claimed five of the top 10 assist providers on the year, with Levi Coleman moving up to second with Perez after recording his sixth of the season, while Miguel Rodrigues and John Bayron Sosa each have five - good for fifth. Harris takes home the league’s golden boot award, averaging a goal per game in league action, standing head and shoulders above anyone else - only five other players have scored more than once, and no one scored three goals in league action.

2008roster No. 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 99

Name Ken Cooper John David Hernandez Benson Owere Brian Quintana Brian Harris Garret Guthrie Levi Coleman Bryan Perez John Bayron Sosa Sean Butler Andy Fleischhacker Caleb Mitchell Matt Kopsky Chris Markey Brandon Nilsson Miguel Rodrigues Jimmy Hangyal Diego Rojas Ricardo Guerra

Pos. GK D F D F D F MF MF MF D MF D D MF MF MF F GK

Ht. 5-10 5-8 6-0 5-9 5-9 5-9 6-3 5-8 5-8 5-10 5-11 6-2 5-11 5-11 5-9 5-7 5-7 5-6 5-11

Wt. 175 145 175 165 175 150 185 160 175 140 170 160 165 155 150 150 150 145 180

Yr. So. Jr. Fr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Fr. So. Sr. So. So. So. Sr. Fr. Fr. Jr.

Hometown St. Louis, Mo. Miami, Fla. Kansas City, Mo. Miami, Fla. Edwardsville, Ill. Wichita, Kan. Broken Arrow, Okla. Miami, Fla. St. Cloud, Fla. Wildwood, Mo. Munich, Germany Ottawa, Kan. Chesterfield, Mo. Birmingham, Ala. Chanhassen, Minn. Miami, Fla. High Ridge, Mo. Bogota, Colombia Caracas, Venezuela

High School/Last School Oakville HS Felix Verela HS Park Hill South Florida Christian HS Edwardsville HS/Southwestern Illinois College Maize HS Broken Arrow HS/Florida International Killian HS Gateway HS Lafayette HS Max Planck Gymnasium Ottawa HS Christian Brothers HS Oak Mountain HS Chaska HS Killian HS St. Pius X Keene HS G. Holmes Braddock HS

coachingstaff HC - Rick Benben (11th season) AC - Fred Schlichting (11th season) GA - Ryan Kaufman (2nd season) MGR - Andy Clarke (2nd season)

pronunciationguide Bayron BARE-un Fleischhacker FLYSH(long ‘i’)-hawk-er Guerra GARE-uh Hangyal HANG-yawl Kopsky KOP-skee Nilsson NEAL-son

www.umkckangaroos.com

Owere oh-WEAR-eh Quintana kin-TAWN-Uh Rojas ROW-hass Schlichting SHLICK-ting Sosa SO-suh

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tops In The Association

The Kangaroos finished the regular season as the 16th-most potent offense in all of Division I, striking for an even 2.00 goals per game. The Kangaroos join such company as Wake Forest, Notre Dame and North Carolina in the role of offensive juggernaut, and are averaging more goals per game than traditional powerhouses Virginia, UIC and UC-Santa Barbara. Brian Perez and Brian Harris played leapfrog in the offensive rankings, with Harris ranked 31st in the country with a 1.47 scoring average. Perez ranks 43rd in the country in scoring average, and was edged out in the assists per game table by Levi Coleman, although both rank in the top 100. Ken Cooper moved up the national rankings in saves per game with his stellar work in the league tournament, with his average of 4.65 per match good for 47th-best on the year. He is also among the top 100 shot-stoppers in terms of save percentage on the year, ranked 72nd with a mark of .782.

Ironman Squad

Garret Guthrie has been a true ironman for the Kangaroos, entering the top-10 career games played list against Oral Roberts. The Wichita, Kan., native has appeared in 74 matches for the Blue-and-Gold with 53 starts over his four-year tenure. Also among the Kangaroo ironmen are senior transfer Miguel Rodrigues and junior Bryan Perez, each with 58 games under his belt. Perez has been in the starting XI for each of his 58 appearances, with Rodrigues missing just two starts. John David Hernandez has been busy as well, recording 54 appearances for the Blue-and-Gold, with Caleb Mitchell recording 56 appearances throughout his career.

Friends For Brandon

Throughout the 2008 season, the UMKC men’s soccer team will be playing for a bit of a higher calling, as redshirt freshman Brandon Nilsson was diagnosed with cancer in July. His family has created a website through Caring Bridge (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/BrandonNilsson) as well as a Facebook group (Friends For Brandon) so that his friends and the community can keep in touch. The UMKC softball team also offered a helping hand to the Nilsson family, organizing a pair of fundraisers on October 19. The Friends For Brandon Wiffle Ball Tournament and Walk-a-Thon raised over $600.

Showing Some Class

On Thursday, October 16, senior Garret Guthrie was announced as a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. He becomes the first player from any Summit League school in any sport to make the finalist cut, joining nine other players across Division I who were selected for the honor. Through November 19, fans were able to cast a vote for the award, with rankings by the fans to comprise 33 percent of the overall weight. Coaches and media will also cast votes, with the tallies from each group combined to determine the winner. The recipient will be recognized in a ceremony during the 2008 Division I Men’s Soccer Championship, December 12-14 in Frisco, Texas. The Kangaroos had two nominees for the award - Guthrie and Miguel Rodrigues. The Senior CLASS Award was first created in 2001 as an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. This

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

unique award is designed to honor the attributes of seniors who remain committed to their university and elect to pursue the many rewards that a senior season can bring. Guthrie and Rodrigues are both solid performers on and off the field, with Guthrie serving as a lab instructor for the UMKC Summer Scholars program and Rodrigues serving as head clinician for the FCA Multi-Sports camp in Albion, Mich. during the summer of 2008. Candidates will be judged on four criteria - Classroom, Character, Community and Competition.

Moving On Up

The career top 10 lists are seeing a lot of activity this year, as no fewer than 14 categories have seen new entries. Garret Guthrie’s stay in the top 10 was all too short after the senior notched his 13th career goal earlier this season, as he was passed in the very next game by Bryan Perez’s 13th, 14th and 15th career goals in UMKC’s 4-3 upset of then #19 Drake. Perez currently sits tied for third on the career lists with 18 goals putting him level with Brian Evans. His 10 goals are good for fourth on the single-season list, marking the first time in program history that UMKC has had two ten-goal scorers in a single campaign. Brian Harris roared past Perez on the single-season goal scorer’s table against Oral Roberts and tied the single-season goals record for UMKC at 12. Perez is ranked fifth on the career shots list for UMKC, having taken 105 attempts over his three-year career, and is also fourth on the career points list with 45. Harris is nipping at Perez’s heels on the shots list, ranked seventh with 100. Sophomore Ken Cooper moved up one spot on the career minutes list against Central Arkansas and currently sits with 2948:03 in the books, and is fourth on the career wins list with 14. The St. Louis, Mo., native is also tied for second (with Mike Silin and Todd Dohlman) on the career shutouts list with seven. He also edged past Sean Conder into sixth on the career saves list with 138 stops in his career. John Bayron Sosa also made the assists table, with his 11 career helpers good for fourth.

Poll Position

For the first time in program history, UMKC received votes in the NSCAA/ adidas National rankings following its 4-3 defeat of Drake. The Kangaroos, who moved up to third in the Midwest regional poll, received six votes in the weekly poll of Division I coaches. UMKC also received votes in the College Soccer News national rankings after making an RV cameo in the Soccer Times poll following its 1-0 defeat of #3/#2 Creighton earlier this season.

www.umkckangaroos.com

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

The Kangaroos remained in the top-10 for the Midwest region throughout the season, one of three Summit League squads in the rankings. Oakland led the way for most of the season, with Western Illinois and UMKC huddling together. In the final regular season polls, UMKC notched nine votes in the Soccer Times poll and received votes in the College Soccer News poll as well. The Kangaroos were ranked sixth in the NSCAA/adidas Midwest regional poll.

A Nod From The Fourth Estate

In addition to the selection of Matt Kopsky, Bryan Perez and Ken Cooper to national teams of the week, the UMKC men’s soccer team has also gotten nods from other members of the fourth estate. UMKC’s upset of Drake garnered a spot mention in Soccer America’s College Soccer Reporter e-mail blast - under the title “Tuesday Night Thrillers”. The Kangaroos were also featured prominently on ESPNsoccernet.com, in a feature by Maria Burns Ortiz. Ortiz’s column discussed the rash of upsets sweeping through Division I during the opening months of the 2008 season. The article can be found by visiting http://tinyurl.com/4j9cdx or checking out www.umkckangaroos. com.

Road Warriors

In anticipation of the opening of the Stanley H. Durwood Stadium for the 2009 season, the Kangaroos were a bit of a nomadic bunch for the opening of the 2008 season. UMKC played its first seven matches away from Kansas City and will play 10 matches total away from home. The Kangaroos were rewarded, however, as the seven home matches on the slate are grouped together, with UMKC opening its Summit League slate against IPFW in the first of a three-game home stand, and closing out the home schedule with a four-game home stand in October.

A New Look For The Roos

At the end of the 2007-08 school year, UMKC Athletics and Kansas City, Mo., advertising firm Bernstein-Rein began work on transforming one of the most unique mascots in college sports. Two options were presented to the community, drawing 2,200 votes. On May 6, 2008, the new set of marks was unveiled. The new identity encapsulates a strong competitive nature and fierce attitude. The Roo icon and typography establish a sense of motion and direction, with the kangaroo in one if its most iconic poses - side-on in full stride.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Its eyes are focused with a snarl adding to its aggressive attitude. The colors draw inspiration from the classic blue and gold of UMKC, with an addition of black to create a bolder presence. The iconography draws inspiration from UMKC’s position as a part of a growing urban community. The Kangaroos debuted the new kits to great results against Creighton.

Kangaroos Tabbed Fourth In Preseason Summit League Coaches Poll

The UMKC men’s soccer team was picked to finish fourth in The Summit League during the coaches preseason poll. The Kangaroos garnered one of the seven available first-place votes, earning 23 points. 2007 champion Oakland was tabbed the early favorite with five first-place nods and 35 total points. The poll mirrored the final league table from the 2007 season, with IUPUI picking up the seventh first-place vote and second place overall and Oral Roberts taking third. Western Illinois, Centenary and IPFW rounded out the rankings.

On The Small Screen

Head coach Rick Benben and senior Garret Guthrie were featured on the UMKC Coaches Show with Brad Porter in the second show of the season, along with women’s head coach Anita Rodriguez. Benben returned to the set last Wednesday, joined this time by senior Brian Harris. The show will air for the next couple of weeks in regular rotation on Metro Sports.

Busy Summer

Many members of the UMKC men’s soccer team were busy during the summer. Several players spent time with clubs in the PDL, with players also serving as camp counselors for UMKC’s residential camps. To close out the summer, senior Miguel Rodrigues and juniors Levi Coleman, Ricardo Guerra and Bryan Perez took part in the Mayor’s Night Kicks tournament, a six-week event sponsored by the Kansas City Wizards and the City of Kansas City. Coleman ran away with the golden boot in the competition, netting 11 goals in three games during group play - the next highest total was six. The squad swept through group play, and although the college players had to bow out due to commitments to UMKC’s preseason training, the four Kangaroos still received medals as the Taqueria Mexico squad finished third in the tournament.

www.umkckangaroos.com

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Looking Forward

The UMKC soccer program took a giant step forward in April 2008, with the announcement of the largest-ever single gift to UMKC Athletics. A $5 million pledge from the the Stanley H. Durwood Foundation and its trustees Raymond F. Beagle, Jr. and Charles J. Egan is set to fund construction of a new soccer stadium in the heart of UMKC’s Volker campus. Construction on the field is anticipated to begin on November 24, 2008, with the competition venue of the Stanley H. Durwood Stadium scheduled to be complete in time for the first game of the 2009 season, as the Kangaroos add women’s soccer to the mix. The entire complex - including locker room facilities for men’s and women’s soccer, softball, and men’s and women’s track and field - is expected to be completed by the spring of 2010. Stan Durwood was one of the University’s and the athletic program’s most ardent supporters. His affiliation with UMKC began when NCAA Division I participation was a pipe dream. Durwood’s enthusiasm for UMKC Athletics continued through admission into Division I and the Mid-Continent Conference. In 1994, he was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal, the highest nonacademic honor the University can bestow upon a community member.

Giving Back

One of the hallmarks of head coach Rick Benben’s tenure has been a dedication to giving back to the community. In addition to the team’s work with the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department, several players took time out of their summer schedule to put on a demonstration at Spectrum Station.

Giving Back Again

UMKC men’s soccer team captain Miguel Rodrigues was invited to speak at the Pembroke Hill School during the first week of classes. The senior spoke briefly about his views on the characteristics of leadership - both on and off of the soccer field - and answered questions about his experiences. The appearance was part of an annual tradition at Pembroke Hill, with Raiders head soccer coach Matt Pritchett inviting speakers from the community to address students at the beginning of each school year.

Live Stats Available

With a new partnership with AT&T, UMKC broadcasted live stats from every home match during the 2008 season. Several of UMKC’s road matches will also have live stats feeds available, with links from the men’s soccer schedule page at www.umkckangaroos.com keeping fans far away in touch with the action.

Finding True North

UMKC set its sights once again on The Summit League Championship, looking to stretch its league lead with a 13th appearance in the postseason tournament, and accomplished the feat with panache. The Blue-and-Gold have qualified for postseason action in 14 of their 14 years as a member of the Mid-Continent Conference/The Summit League. The Kangaroos were the first team to capture a league double, grabbing the regular season title and tournament championship in both 2001 and 2003. Amazingly, the Kangaroos were not the top seed in either double season, as they lost seeding tiebreakers in both 2001 and 2003. UMKC qualified as the top seed in the Western Division in 1998, although they fell to Howard in the championship match.

These Go To Eleven

Proving that familiarity doesn’t always breed contempt, head coach Rick Benben and assistant coach Fred Schlichting both enter their 11th season at UMKC. Benben, the longest-tenured coach at UMKC has been a fixture in Kansas City soccer for several years, formerly serving as the head coach of the MISL Kansas City Comets. Schlichting has also made a name in the Kansas City coaching ranks, named the KSYSA Boys Coach of the Year in 2005 and leading the St. Teresa’s Academy varsity team to a Missouri State championship appearance in 1998.

www.umkckangaroos.com

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

UMKC Combined Team Statistics (as of Nov 18, 2008) All games RECORD: ALL GAMES CONFERENCE NON-CONFERENCE

OVERALL 10-6-3 3-3 7-3-3

HOME 7-0 3-0 4-0

AWAY 2-5-3 0-3 2-2-3

## 7 10 9 14 11 8 18 20 12 16 15 5 2 19 13 6 1

Name Brian Harris Bryan Perez Levi Coleman Caleb Mitchell John Bayron Sosa Garret Guthrie Miguel Rodrigues Diego Rojas Sean Butler Chris Markey Matt Kopsky Benson Owere John David Hernandez Jimmy Hangyal Andy Fleischhacker Brian Quintana Ken Cooper Total............... Opponents...........

GP-GS 19-19 19-19 18-18 19-14 19-19 19-19 19-18 17-1 18-0 19-18 19-17 9-1 19-19 7-0 3-0 17-8 17-17 19 19

Min 1615 1697 1616 1208 1802 1423 1233 435 607 1787 1676 161 1810 93 27 1111 1637 20161 -

G A 12 4 10 6 3 6 4 1 2 5 3 2 1 5 1 3 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 34 29 20

## 1 99

Name Ken Cooper Ricardo Guerra Total............... Opponents...........

GP-GS 17-17 2-2 19 19

Minutes 1636:34 200:00 1836:34 1836:34

GA 22 7 29 38

Pts Sh 28 54 26 42 12 27 9 24 9 31 8 13 7 15 5 4 4 7 1 4 1 2 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 110 227 78 294 Avg 1.21 3.15 1.42 1.86

NEUTRAL 1-1 0-0 1-1 Shot% SOG SOG% .222 27 .500 .238 21 .500 .111 10 .370 .167 11 .458 .065 12 .387 .231 5 .385 .067 5 .333 .250 1 .250 .286 6 .857 .000 1 .250 .000 0 .000 .000 0 .000 .000 1 .500 .000 0 .000 .000 0 .000 .000 0 .000 .000 0 .000 .167 100 .441 .099 121 .412 Saves 79 12 92 62

Pct .782 .632 .760 .620

W 10 0 10 6

L 5 1 6 10

YC-RC 2-0 5-0 2-0 2-0 3-0 3-0 1-0 2-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 5-1 2-0 34-1 37-3 T 2 1 3 3

GW 3 3 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 6

Sho 5 0 5 1

PK-ATT 0-1 1-2 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-4 1-1

FG 4 2 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 7

OT 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3

HAT 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0

GTG Foul 2 3 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 6

Faced 259 33 292 219

Team saves: 1

! ! * * *

Date Aug 29, 2008 Aug 31, 2008 Sep 05, 2008 Sep 07, 2008 Sep 13, 2008 Sep 19, 2008 Sep 21, 2008 Sep 27, 2008 Sep 30, 2008 Oct 04, 2008 Oct 11, 2008

Opponent at #16 UIC at Eastern Illinois at Florida Atlantic at FIU at #3 Creighton at Gonzaga vs Oregon State IPFW #19 DRAKE IUPUI at Western Illinois

TEAM STATISTICS SHOT STATISTICS Goals-Shot attempts Goals scored per game Shot pct. Shots on goal-Attempts SOG pct. Shots/Game GOAL BREAKDOWN Penalty Unassisted Overtime CORNER KICKS Goals off corners PENALTY KICKS OFFSIDES PENALTIES Fouls Yellow cards Red cards ATTENDANCE Total Dates/Avg Per Date Neutral Site #/Avg

UMKC 38-227 2.00 .167 100-227 .441 11.9 2 8 2 90 0 2-4 46 221 34 1 1585 7/226 2/256

W/L T O2 L W T O2 W L OT L W W W L O2

OPP 29-294 1.53 .099 121-294 .412 15.5 1 10 3 96 0 1-1 23 305 37 3

Score 2-2 2-3 3-1 2-2 1-0 2-3 1-5 4-0 4-3 3-0 0-1

Attend 842 221 250 148 2202 645 440 186 235 315 506

Date Oct 15, 2008 Oct 18, 2008 * Oct 25, 2008 Oct 28, 2008 * Nov 01, 2008 * Nov 08, 2008 @ Nov 14, 2008 @ Nov 16, 2008

Opponent ROCKHURST CENTRAL ARKANSAS ORAL ROBERTS MISSOURI STATE at Centenary at Oakland University vs Western Illinois at Oakland University

GOALS BY PERIOD UMKC Opponents

1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 14 22 0 2 38 10 16 1 2 29

SHOTS BY PERIOD UMKC Opponents

1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 91 121 9 6 227 115 149 17 13 294

SAVES BY PERIOD UMKC Opponents

1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 36 46 5 5 92 25 34 2 1 62

W/L W O2 W W W L O2 L W O2 T O2

Score 3-2 3-1 3-1 1-0 1-2 1-2 1-0 1-1

Attend 455 124 185 85 300 117 71 383

CORNER KICKS BY PRD 1st 2nd OT OT2 Total UMKC 31 51 7 1 90 Opponents 42 46 4 4 96 FOULS BY PERIOD UMKC Opponents

1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 96 109 10 6 221 129 154 12 10 305

5614 10/561

www.umkckangaroos.com

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

UMKC Combined Team Statistics (as of Nov 10, 2008) Conference games RECORD: CONFERENCE

OVERALL 3-3

HOME 3-0

AWAY 0-3

## 7 9 10 11 14 8 12 18 20 5 2 19 16 15 13 6

Name Brian Harris Levi Coleman Bryan Perez John Bayron Sosa Caleb Mitchell Garret Guthrie Sean Butler Miguel Rodrigues Diego Rojas Benson Owere John David Hernandez Jimmy Hangyal Chris Markey Matt Kopsky Andy Fleischhacker Brian Quintana Total............... Opponents...........

GP-GS 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-6 6-0 6-6 6-0 2-0 6-6 2-0 6-6 6-5 1-0 6-1 6 6

Min 509 558 480 559 431 477 192 362 169 27 558 11 569 462 11 304 6248 -

G A 6 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 12 11 6 4

## 1

Name Ken Cooper Total............... Opponents...........

GP-GS 6-6 6 6

Minutes 569:01 569:01 569:01

GA 6 6 12

Pts 13 5 5 3 3 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 35 16

Sh 24 13 12 11 10 5 2 6 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 87 72

Avg 0.95 0.95 1.90

NEUTRAL 0-0

Shot% SOG SOG% .250 11 .458 .077 4 .308 .083 6 .500 .091 4 .364 .100 3 .300 .200 2 .400 .500 2 1.000 .000 2 .333 .000 0 .000 .000 0 .000 .000 1 1.000 .000 0 .000 .000 0 .000 .000 0 .000 .000 0 .000 .000 0 .000 .138 35 .402 .083 31 .431 Saves 25 25 23

Pct .806 .806 .657

W 3 3 3

L 3 3 3

YC-RC 1-0 0-0 2-0 3-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 8-0 14-1 T 0 0 0

GW 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3

Sho 2 2 1

PK-ATT 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0

FG 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 2

OT 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

HAT 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0

GTG Foul 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2

Faced 72 72 84

Team saves: 0

* * * * * *

Date Sep 27, 2008 Oct 04, 2008 Oct 11, 2008 Oct 25, 2008 Nov 01, 2008 Nov 08, 2008

Opponent IPFW IUPUI at Western Illinois ORAL ROBERTS at Centenary at Oakland University

UMKC 12-87 2.00 .138 35-87 .402 14.5 1 2 0 30 0 1-1 17 62 8 0 686 3/229 0/0

OPP 6-72 1.00 .083 31-72 .431 12.0 0 2 2 29 0 0-0 6 86 14 1

W/L W W L O2 W L O2 L

Score 4-0 3-0 0-1 3-1 1-2 1-2

Attend 186 315 506 185 300 117

GOALS BY PERIOD UMKC Opponents

1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 5 7 0 0 12 2 2 0 2 6

SHOTS BY PERIOD UMKC Opponents

1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 46 36 3 2 87 23 42 3 4 72

SAVES BY PERIOD UMKC Opponents

1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 8 15 1 1 25 12 10 1 0 23

CORNER KICKS BY PRD 1st 2nd OT OT2 Total UMKC 10 17 2 1 30 Opponents 17 10 1 1 29 FOULS BY PERIOD UMKC Opponents

1st 2nd OT OT2 Total 30 30 2 0 62 37 46 3 0 86

923 3/308

www.umkckangaroos.com

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

2008 Box Scores UMKC vs. #16 UIC (Aug 29, 2008 at Chicago, Ill.) UMKC (0-0-1) vs. UIC (0-0-1) Date: Aug 29, 2008 Attendance: 842 Weather: 77 degrees, windy

UMKC vs #3 Creighton (Sep 13, 2008 at Omaha, Neb.) UMKC (2-1-2) vs. Creighton (3-1-0) Date: Sep 13, 2008 Attendance: 2202 Weather: 75 degrees, partly cloudy, winds calm

#19 Drake vs UMKC (Sep 30, 2008 at Kansas City, Mo.) Drake (8-2) vs. UMKC (4-3-2) Date: Sep 30, 2008 Attendance: 235 Weather: Clear, mid 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Goals by period UMKC UIC

Goals by period UMKC Creighton

Goals by period Drake UMKC

1 0 0

2 2 2

OT O2 Tot 0 0 2 0 0 2

1 1 0

2 0 0

Tot 1 0

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 50:06 UIC Husidic, A (1) (Husidic, B) 2. 77:01 UMKC Perez (1) penalty kick 3. 78:37 UMKC Harris (1) (unassisted) 4. 83:17 UIC Husidic, B (1) penalty kick

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 15:52 UMKC Harris (3) (Kopsky)

Shots: UMKC 10, UIC 9 Saves: UMKC 1 (Cooper 1), UIC 5 (Bubonja 5)

UMKC Starters: Cooper, Mitchell, Hernandez, Markey, Kopsky, Guthrie, Perez, Sosa, Rodrigues, Coleman, Harris

UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Quintana, Markey, Kopsky, Guthrie, Perez, Sosa, Rodrigues, Coleman, Harris

UMKC vs Gonzaga (Sep 19, 2008 at Spokane, Wash.) UMKC (2-2-2) vs. Gonzaga (2-2-1) Date: Sep 19, 2008 Attendance: 645 Weather: 89 degrees, wind calm

Shots: UMKC 3, Creighton 22 Saves: UMKC 5 (Cooper 5), Creighton 0 (Holt)

UMKC vs. EIU (Aug 31, 2008 at Charleston, Ill.) UMKC (0-1-1) vs. Eastern Illinois (1-1) Date: Aug 31, 2008 Attendance: 221 Weather: Clear, sunny, hot Goals by period UMKC Eastern Illinois

1 0 1

2 2 2

Goals by period UMKC Gonzaga

Tot 2 3

1 2 0

2 0 2

OT Tot 0 2 1 3

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 5:21 UMKC Harris (4) (Perez) 2. 43:01 UMKC Rojas (1) (Coleman) 3. 52:17 GU Funkhouser (1) (Garre) 4. 87:17 GU Perdido (2) (Barclay) 5. 98:58 GU Perdido (3) (Muravez)

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 16:06 EIU Adee (1) (Gartner, Peters) 2. 46:00 UMKC Harris (2) (Rojas) 3. 75:21 EIU Lewis (1) (Philpott) 4. 79:20 EIU Peters (1) (Harrison) 5. 89:03 UMKC Perez (2) (unassisted)

UMKC Starters: Cooper, Mitchell, Hernandez, Markey, Kopsky, Guthrie, Perez, Sosa, Rodrigues, Coleman, Harris

Shots: UMKC 9, Eastern Illinois 23 Saves: UMKC 8 (Cooper 8), Eastern Ill. 4 (Hansen 4) UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Owere, Markey, Kopsky, Guthrie, Perez, Sosa, Rodrigues, Rojas, Harris

UMKC vs Oregon State (Sep 21, 2008 at Spokane, Wash.) UMKC (2-3-2) vs. Oregon State (3-4-1) Date: Sep 21, 2008 Attendance: 440 Weather: 50 degrees, rain, wind SSW 11 mph

UMKC vs. FAU (Sep 05, 2008 at Boca Raton, Fla.) UMKC (1-1-1) vs. Florida Atlantic (0-3-0) Date: Sep 05, 2008 Attendance: 250 Weather: Sunny, 85

Goals by period UMKC Oregon State

Goals by period UMKC Florida Atlantic

1 0 0

2 3 1

1 0 1

2 1 4

Tot 1 5

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 36:57 OSU Christner (5) (Callahan) 2. 49:56 OSU Leach (1) (unassisted) 3. 52:28 OSU Kelly (1) (Cameron) 4. 57:35 OSU Christner (6) (Callahan) 5. 67:16 UMKC Perez (4) (Harris; Rodrigues) 6. 79:02 OSU Callahan (1) (unassisted)

Tot 3 1

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 58:33 UMKC Coleman (1) (Perez) 2. 66:32 UMKC Perez (3) (Coleman) 3. 77:10 UMKC Guthrie (1) (Rodrigues) 4. 84:15 FAU Ribeiro (Kelly)

Shots: UMKC 10, Oregon State 14 Saves: UMKC 4 (Guerra 4), Oregon State 2 (Miller 2)

Shots: UMKC 10, Florida Atlantic 19 Saves: UMKC 8 (Cooper 8), Fla. Atlantic 3 (Lamarre 3)

UMKC Starters: Guerra, Hernandez, Quintana, Kopsky, Markey, Guthrie, Perez, Sosa, Rodrigues, Harris, Coleman

UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Quintana, Markey, Kopsky, Guthrie, Perez, Sosa, Rodrigues, Coleman, Harris

IPFW vs UMKC (Sep 27, 2008 at Kansas City, Mo.) IPFW (2-6-1, 0-1 Summit) vs. UMKC (3-3-2, 1-0 Summit) Date: Sep 27, 2008 Attendance: 186 Weather: Sunny, unseasonably warm. 85 at kickoff

UMKC vs FIU (Sep 07, 2008 at Miami, Fla.) UMKC (1-1-2) vs. FIU (0-3-1) Date: Sep 07, 2008 Attendance: 148 Weather: 89 degrees; clear and sunny. Goals by period UMKC FIU

1 1 2

2 1 0

Goals by period IPFW UMKC

OT O2 Tot 0 0 2 0 0 2

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 30:53 UMKC Coleman (2) (Sosa) 2. 32:27 FIU Guerra (2) (Ballardes) 3. 35:16 FIU Guerra (3) (unassisted) 4. 79:01 UMKC Guthrie (2) (Rodrigues) Shots: UMKC 15, FIU 19 Saves: UMKC 8 (Guerra 8), FIU 2 (Lopez 2)

1 0 1

2 0 3

Tot 0 4

2 0 2

Tot 3 4

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 15:28 DU Shrout (2) (unassisted) 2. 16:07 DU Kennedy (4) (Webb) 3. 17:22 UMKC Perez (5) (Sosa) 4. 22:14 UMKC Perez (6) (Sosa) 5. 35:18 DU Gorczyca (3) (Kuhn) 6. 56:06 UMKC Mitchell (1) (Guthrie) 7. 59:14 UMKC Perez (7) (unassisted) Shots: Drake 17, UMKC 10 Saves: Drake 2 (Drozd 2), UMKC 4 (Cooper 3; Team 1) UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Markey, Kopsky, Rodrigues, Sosa, Coleman, Perez, Mitchell, Harr

IUPUI vs UMKC (Oct 04, 2008 at Kansas City, Mo.) IUPUI (5-4-2, 1-1 Summit) vs. UMKC (5-3-2, 2-0 Summit) Date: Oct 04, 2008 Attendance: 315 Weather: Sunny, 75 at kickoff Goals by period IUPUI UMKC

Shots: UMKC 11, Gonzaga 25 Saves: UMKC 6 (Cooper 6), Gonzaga 3 (Barnum 3)

1 3 2

1 0 1

2 0 2

Tot 0 3

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 24:54 UMKC Mitchell (2) (Sosa) 2. 49:41 UMKC Harris (6) (Coleman) 3. 80:07 UMKC Harris (7) (Mitchell) Shots: IUPUI 7, UMKC 15 Saves: IUPUI 4 (Keever 4), UMKC 2 (Cooper 2) UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Markey, Kopsky, Rodrigues, Sosa, Coleman, Perez, Guthrie, Mitchell, Harris

UMKC vs Western Illinois (Oct 11, 2008 at Macomb, Ill.) UMKC (5-4-2, 2-1 Summit) vs. WIU (8-3-2, 1-1 Summit) Date: Oct 11, 2008 Attendance: 506 Weather: 84 degrees and sunny Goals by period UMKC Western Illinois

1 0 0

2 0 0

OT O2 Tot 0 0 0 0 1 1

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 105:18 WIU Hinds (1) (Odom) Shots: UMKC 14, WIU 18 Saves: UMKC 6 (Cooper 6), WIU 4 (Paterson 3; Team 1) UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Markey, Kopsky, Rodrigues, Sosa, Coleman, Perez, Guthrie, Mitchell, Harris

Rockhurst vs UMKC (Oct 15, 2008 at Kansas City, Mo.) Rockhurst (11-1-1) vs. UMKC (6-4-2) Date: Oct 15, 2008 Attendance: 455 Weather: Clear, 55 at kickoff Goals by period Rockhurst UMKC

1 1 1

2 1 1

OT O2 Tot 0 0 2 0 1 3

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 27:00 UMKC Sosa (1) Penalty kick 2. 68:02 UMKC Harris (5) (Coleman) 3. 68:55 UMKC Butler (1) (Harris; Perez) 4. 78:45 UMKC Guthrie (3) (Coleman)

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 22:08 UMKC Mitchell (3) (Harris; Rodrigues) 2. 40:04 RU Moskop (1) (unassisted) 3. 53:29 RU Samuelson (6) 4. 83:36 UMKC Sosa (2) (unassisted) 5. 100:50 UMKC Mitchell (4) (unassisted)

Shots: IPFW 9, UMKC 16 Saves: IPFW 2 (Knitter 2), UMKC 2 (Cooper 2)

Shots: Rockhurst 9, UMKC 16 Saves: Rockhurst 7 (Becker 7), UMKC 0

UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Markey, Kopsky, Rodrigues, Sosa, Coleman, Perez, Guthrie, Mitchell, Harris

UMKC Starters: Guerra, Hernandez, Quintana, Markey, Kopsky, Guthrie, Perez, Sosa, Rodrigues, Coleman, Harris

www.umkckangaroos.com

Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

2008 Box Scores Cent. Arkansas vs UMKC (Oct 18, 2008 at Kansas City, Mo.) Central Arkansas (2-10-1) vs. UMKC (7-4-2) Date: Oct 18, 2008 Attendance: 124 Weather: Sunny, mid 60’s

UMKC vs Oakland (Nov 08, 2008 at Rochester, Mich.) UMKC (9-6-2, 3-3 Summit) vs. Oakland (13-4-0, 5-1 Summit) Date: Nov 08, 2008 Attendance: 117 Weather: 45 degrees and windy

Goals by period Central Arkansas UMKC

Goals by period UMKC Oakland University

1 0 2

2 1 1

Tot 1 3

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 6:01 UMKC Perez (8) (Markey) 2. 31:49 UMKC Rodrigues (1) (Harris) 3. 72:25 UMKC Butler (2) (Perez; Rojas) 4. 87:18 UCA Burns (1) (Prescott)

UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Markey, Kopsky, Rodrigues, Sosa, Coleman, Perez, Guthrie, Mitchell, Harris

UMKC vs WIU (Nov 14, 2008 at Rochester, Mich.) UMKC (10-6-2) vs. Western Illinois (12-5-3) Date: Nov 14, 2008 Attendance: 71 Weather: 54 degrees and rainy

Oral Roberts vs UMKC (Oct 25, 2008 at Kansas City, Mo.) ORU (5-7-2, 2-1-1 Summit) vs. UMKC (8-4-2, 3-1-0 Summit) Date: Oct 25, 2008 Attendance: 185 Weather: Gorgeous, mid-60s at kickoff 2 0 1

Goals by period UMKC Western Illinois

Tot 1 3

Missouri State vs UMKC (Oct 28, 2008 at Kansas City, Mo.) Missouri State (5-8-4) vs. UMKC (9-4-2) Date: Oct 28, 2008 Attendance: 85 Weather: Cool, clear - upper 40’s at kickoff 2 0 1

Tot 0 1

Shots: Missouri State 11, UMKC 11 Saves: Missouri State 3 (Riggs 2; Team 1), UMKC 3 (Cooper 3) UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Markey, Quintana, Rodrigues, Sosa, Coleman, Perez, Guthrie, Mitchell, Harris

UMKC vs Centenary (Nov 01, 2008 at Shreveport, La.) UMKC (9-5-2, 3-2 Summit) vs. Centenary (4-8-1, 2-4 Summit) Date: Nov 01, 2008 Attendance: 300 Weather: Cloudy and Warm 2 1 1

UMKC vs Oakland (Nov 16, 2008 at Rochester, Mich.) UMKC (10-6-3) vs. Oakland University (14-4-1) Date: Nov 16, 2008 Attendance: 383 Weather: Cold and snowy. Goals by period UMKC Oakland University

1 0 0

2 1 1

OT O2 Tot 0 0 1 0 0 1

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 58:07 OU St. Louis (4) (S. Harris) 2. 67:11 UMKC Harris (12) (Coleman)

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 75:26 UMKC Harris (11) (Rojas)

1 0 0

OT O2 Tot 0 1 1 0 0 0

UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Markey, Kopsky, Rodrigues, Sosa, Coleman, Perez, Guthrie, Mitchell, Harris

Goals by period UMKC Centenary

2 0 0

Shots: UMKC 9, Western Illinois 15 Saves: UMKC 9 (Cooper 9), Western Illinois 1 (Paterson 1)

Shots: Oral Roberts 8, UMKC 16 Saves: Oral Roberts 5 (Peralta 4; Team 1), UMKC 3 (Cooper 3)

1 0 0

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 107:45 UMKC Perez (10) (Sosa)

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 11:24 UMKC Harris (8) (Guthrie) 2. 29:07 ORU Pinto (5) (Erickson) 3. 33:41 UMKC Harris (9) (Perez) 4. 64:34 UMKC Harris (10) (Perez)

Goals by period Missouri State UMKC

Tot 1 2

Shots: UMKC 4, Oakland University 16 Saves: UMKC 5 (Cooper 5), Oakland University 2 (Clark 2)

UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Quintana, Kopsky, Coleman, Sosa, Markey, Perez, Guthrie, Mitchell, Harris

1 1 2

2 0 1

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 29:00 UMKC Coleman (3) (unassisted) 2. 32:59 OU Catalano (2) (unassisted) 3. 88:22 OU Catalano (3) (unassisted)

Shots: Central Arkansas 12, UMKC 15 Saves: Central Ark. 4 (Pena 3; Team 1), UMKC 4 (Cooper 4)

Goals by period Oral Roberts UMKC

1 1 1

OT O2 Tot 0 0 1 0 1 2

SHOOTOUT 1 2 3 4 5 TOT Oakland o x o o x 3 UMKC o o o o / 4 OU - Sandell (Goal), Catalano (Crossbar), Popovic (Goal), Allan (Goal), Nowak (Save-Cooper) UMKC - Harris (Goal), Perez (Goal), Sosa (Goal), Coleman (Goal) Shots: UMKC 11, Oakland University 27 Saves: UMKC 7 (Cooper 7), Oakland University 3 (Hildebrandt 2; Clark 1) UMKC wins 2008 Summit League Tournament UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Quintana, Kopsky, Rodrigues, Sosa, Coleman, Perez, Guthrie, Mitchell, Harris

SCORING SUMMARY: 1. 77:41 CC Adams (1) (McHugh) 2. 81:05 UMKC Perez (9) (Rodrigues) 3. 103:43 CC Bergman (1) (McIntyre) Shots: UMKC 22, Centenary 14 Saves: UMKC 7 (Ken Cooper 7), Centenary 6 (Rennie Walker 6) UMKC Starters: Cooper, Hernandez, Markey, Quintana, Rodrigues, Sosa, Coleman, Perez, Guthrie, Mitchell, Harris

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Player Bios Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

2008 -- Started in all 17 of his appearances on the season, posting a 1.21 goals-against average... was named Summit League tournament MVP on the strength of a career-high nine-save outing against Western Illinois that led to one of his five shutouts on the season... was twice selected to the Soccer America team of the week, also earning Summit League Defensive Player of the Week honors once on the season... ranked 47th in the nation in saves per game at the conclusion of the regular season with a mark of 4.65, and 72nd in save percentage with a rate of .782... is fourth on the career wins list at UMKC with 14, and second on the career shutouts list with seven... also ranks sixth on the career saves list with 138 stops. Career Stats Year GP 2007 14 2008 17 Totals 31

GS 14 17 31

Min 1311 1637 2948

Year 2007 2008 Totals

GS 14 17 31

Minutes 1311:29 1636:34 2948:03

GP 14 17 31

G 0 0 0

A 0 0 0

GA 24 22 46

Pts 0 0 0 GAA 1.65 1.21 1.40

Sh. 0 0 0 Sh. 193 259 452

Sh.% .000 .000 .000

SOG 83 101 184

Sv 59 79 138

SOG 0 0 0 Sv% .711 .782 .750

SOG% .000 .000 .000 W 4 10 14

YC 0 2 2 L 6 5 11

T 4 2 6

RC 0 0 0 SHO 2 5 7

GW 0 0 0

PK 0 0 0

PKA 0 0 0

FG 0 0 0

OT 0 0 0

HAT 0 0 0

Ken Cooper

5-10 175 So. St. Louis, Mo. Oakville HS

GTG 0 0 0

Goalkeeper

2008 -- Matured into a leader of the defensive unit for the Kangaroos on the season, starting all 19 games on the 2008 campaign, picking up just one caution in 1,810 minutes on the year... recorded two shots (one shot on goal) in 19 matches... played every minute of all but three games (Eastern Illinois, Gonzaga, IPFW) on the season... was named a second team all-Summit League selection. Career Stats Year GP 2006 17 2007 18 2008 19 Totals 54

GS 11 18 19 48

Min 853 1702 1810 4365

G 0 0 0 0

A 0 0 0 0

Pts 0 0 0 0

Sh. 0 3 2 5

Sh.% .000 .000 .000 .000

SOG 0 2 1 3

SOG% .000 .667 .500 .600

YC 2 2 1 5

RC 1 1 0 2

GW 0 0 0 0

PK 0 0 0 0

PKA 0 0 0 0

FG 0 0 0 0

OT 0 0 0 0

HAT 0 0 0 0

GTG 0 0 0 0

John David Hernandez

5-8 145 Jr. Defender Miami, Fla. Felix Verela HS

2008 -- Appeared in nine matches on the year with one start, recording two shots in 161 minutes... picked up caution on the season. Career Stats Year GP GS 2008 9 1 Totals 9 1

Min 161 161

G A 0 0 0 0

Pts 0 0

Sh. Sh.% 2 .000 2 .000

SOG 0 0

SOG% .000 .000

YC RC 1 0 1 0

GW 0 0

PK PKA 0 0 0 0

FG OT HAT 0 0 0 0 0 0

GTG 0 0

Benson Owere

6-0 175 Fr. Forward Kansas City, Mo. Park Hill South HS

2008 -- Started eight of his 17 appearances on the season, seeing time primarily in the defense... recorded 1,111 minutes on the year, picking up five cautions and one ejection on the year. Career Stats Year GP 2007 15 2008 17 Totals 32

GS 2 8 10

Min 528 1111 1639

G 0 0 0

A 0 0 0

Pts 0 0 0

Sh. 0 0 0

Sh.% .000 .000 .000

SOG 0 0 0

SOG% .000 .000 .000

YC 2 5 7

RC 0 1 1

GW 0 0 0

PK 0 0 0

PKA 0 0 0

FG 0 0 0

OT 0 0 0

HAT 0 0 0

GTG 0 0 0

Brian Quintana

5-9 165 So. Defender Miami, Fla. Florida Christian HS

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Player Bios Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

2008 -- Tied the single-season goal-scoring record with 12 strikes on the year, matching the mark set in the 1996 season, earning Summit League Offensive Player of the Year honors and first team all-league honors as a result... added four assists on the year, starting all 19 matches on the campaign... his three game-winning goals are tied for the team lead, and he recorded a hat trick in the Kangaroos’ 3-1 win over Oral Roberts - the first time in the history of the program that two hat tricks were scored in a single season... ranks seventh on the career shots list with 100, and finished the regular season ranked 31st in Division I with an average of 1.47 points per game... was named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week three times and was also named an ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District selection and a member of the Summit League all-tournament team. Career Stats Year GP 2007 19 2008 19 Totals 38

GS 19 19 38

Min 1331 1615 2946

G 3 12 15

A 1 4 5

Pts 7 28 35

Sh. 46 54 100

Sh.% .065 .222 .150

SOG 18 27 45

SOG% .391 .500 .450

YC 3 2 5

RC 0 0 0

GW 0 3 3

PK 0 0 0

PKA 0 1 1

FG 0 4 4

OT 0 0 0

HAT 0 1 1

GTG 1 2 3

Brian Harris

5-9

175 Sr. Forward Edwardsville, Ill. Edwardsville HS Southwestern Illinois Coll.

2008 -- Posted three goals and two assists on the year, starting all 19 matches for the Kangaroos... recorded 1,423 minutes on the campaign, including wire-to-wire outings against Creighton and Oral Roberts as well as in UMKC’s championship win over Oakland... was named a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, becoming the first athlete from any Summit League school to earn the accolades... was recognized as a ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District selection for the third time in his career, adding a third team Academic All-America recognition as well... will move into second place all-time on the career games-played list at UMKC with an appearance in the Kangaroos’ first-round game against Tulsa. Career Stats Year GP 2005 16 2006 20 2007 19 2008 19 Totals 74

GS 8 12 17 19 56

Min 775 1307 1188 1423 4693

G 2 4 4 3 13

A 2 1 1 2 6

Pts 6 9 9 8 32

Sh. 9 29 20 13 71

Sh.% .222 .138 .200 .231 .183

SOG 3 14 11 5 33

SOG% .333 .483 .550 .385 .465

YC 0 1 2 3 6

RC 0 0 0 0 0

GW 1 2 2 0 5

PK 0 0 0 0 0

PKA 0 0 0 0 0

FG 0 2 1 0 3

OT 0 1 0 0 1

HAT 0 0 0 0 0

Garret Guthrie

5-9 150 Sr. Wichita, Kan. Maize HS

GTG 0 0 0 1 1

Defender

2008 -- Has started all 18 of his appearances on the season, recording 1,616 minutes in a central midfield role... has scored three goals and added six assists - good for second in The Summit League... recorded the gametying assist in UMKC’s championship effort against Oakland... picked up two cautions on the campaign, with all three of his goals coming first in the game... posted a season-high two assist outing in UMKC’s 4-0 defeat of IPFW... was named a second team all-Summit League selection. Career Stats Year GP GS 2008 18 18 Totals 18 18

Min 1616 1616

G A 3 6 3 6

Pts 12 12

Sh. Sh.% 27 .111 27 .111

SOG 10 10

SOG% .370 .370

YC RC 2 0 2 0

GW 0 0

PK PKA 0 0 0 0

FG OT HAT 3 0 0 3 0 0

GTG 0 0

Levi Coleman

6-3

185 Jr. Forward Broken Arrow, Okla. Broken Arrow HS Florida International

2008 -- Started all 19 games for the Kangaroos, racking up 1,697 minutes on the campaign... scored 10 goals and added a team-best six assists on the year, recording the first hat trick by a UMKC player since the 2004 season in the Kangaroos’ 4-3 upset of then-#19 Drake... was tabbed a first team all-Summit League selection and named to the all-tournament team on the strength of notching the game-winning goal in the semifinal match... picked up a trifecta of weekly awards in the first week of October, earning Summit League Offensive Player of the Week honors along with nods for the collegesoccernews.com and Soccer America teams of the week. Career Stats Year GP 2006 20 2007 19 2008 19 Totals 39

GS 20 19 19 39

Min 1578 1654 1697 3232

G 2 6 10 8

A 3 0 6 3

Pts 7 12 26 19

Sh. 26 37 42 63

Sh.% .077 .162 .238 .127

SOG 13 12 21 25

SOG% .500 .324 .500 .397

YC 2 2 5 4

RC 0 0 0 0

GW 0 1 3 1

PK 0 2 1 2

PKA 0 2 2 2

FG 2 2 2 4

OT 0 0 1 0

Bryan Perez

HAT 0 0 1 0

5-8 160 Jr. Miami, Fla. Killian HS

GTG 0 0 3 0

Midfielder

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Player Bios Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

2008 -- Started all 19 games on the 2008 campaign for the Blue-and-Gold, recording two goals and five assists on the season... converted the Kangaroos’ only penalty kick during league play, against IPFW... picked up three cautions on the season... ranks fourth on the career assists list for UMKC with 11, and was named a second team all-league selection... recorded the game-winning assist in UMKC’s 1-0 win over Western Illinois in the league tournament semifinal. Career Stats Year GP 2007 18 2008 19 Totals 18

GS 18 19 18

Min 1491 1802 1491

G 4 2 4

A 5 5 5

Pts 13 9 13

Sh. 33 31 33

Sh.% .121 .065 .121

SOG 19 12 19

SOG% .576 .387 .576

YC 6 3 6

RC 0 0 0

GW 2 1 2

PK 1 1 1

PKA 1 1 1

FG 2 1 2

OT 0 0 0

HAT 0 0 0

GTG 0 1 0

John Bayron Sosa

5-8 175 So. St. Cloud, Fla. Gateway HS

Midfielder

2008 -- Picked up two goals in 18 appearances on the season, recording six shots on goal... played 607 minutes in a reserve midfield role for the Kangaroos. Career Stats Year GP GS 2008 18 0 Totals 18 0

Min 607 607

G A 2 0 2 0

Pts 4 4

Sh. Sh.% 7 .286 7 .286

SOG 6 6

SOG% .857 .857

YC RC 0 0 0 0

GW 0 0

PK PKA 0 0 0 0

FG OT HAT 0 0 0 0 0 0

GTG 0 0

Sean Butler

5-10 140 Fr. Midfielder WIldwood, Mo. Lafayette HS

2008 -- Saw limited time in defense for the Kangaroos, appearing in three matches. Career Stats Year GP GS 2008 3 0 Totals 3 0

Min 27 27

G A 0 0 0 0

Pts 0 0

Sh. Sh.% 0 .000 0 .000

SOG 0 0

SOG% .000 .000

YC RC 0 0 0 0

GW 0 0

PK PKA 0 0 0 0

FG OT HAT 0 0 0 0 0 0

GTG 0 0

Andy Fleischhacker

5-11 170 So. Defender Munich, Germany Max Planck Gymnasium

2008 -- Appeared in all 19 games for the Blue-and-Gold on the year, starting 12 consecutive matches and 14 overall after moving to forward alongside Brian Harris... struck for four goals and added an assist on the season, recording two game-winners - including the decisive tally in UMKC’s 4-3 upset of then-#19 Drake... recorded 24 shots on the season, picking up two yellow cards... scored one of two overtime goals for the Kangaroos, with his tally coming against Rockhurst. Career Stats Year GP GS Min 2004 8 0 n/a 2005 11 2 446 2006 18 3 731 2007 Redshirt Season 2008 19 14 1208 Totals 56 19 2385

G 0 1 0

A 1 2 2

4 1 5 6

Pts 1 4 2

Sh. 2 3 13

Sh.% .000 .333 .000

SOG n/a 1 5

SOG% n/a .333 .385

YC 0 0 1

RC 0 0 0

GW 0 0 0

9 16

24 42

.167 .119

11 17

.458 .405

2 3

0 0

2 2

PK 0 0 0

PKA 0 0 0

0 0 0 0

FG 0 0 0

OT 0 0 0

HAT 0 0 0

GTG 0 0 0

2 2

1 1

0 0

1 1

Caleb Mitchell

5-10 160 Sr. Ottawa, Kan. Ottawa HS

Midfielder

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Player Bios Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

2008 -- Started in 17 of his 19 appearances, recording 1,676 minutes in a defensive role for the Kangaroos... was credited with one assist on the campaign, coming in UMKC’s 1-0 upset of then #3/#2 Creighton... was named to the collegesoccernews.com team of the week following the Creighton match, and was recognized as an ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-District selection. Career Stats Year GP 2007 19 2008 19 Totals 38

GS 4 17 21

Min 1050 1676 2726

G 0 0 0

A 2 1 3

Pts 2 1 3

Sh. 7 2 9

Sh.% .000 .000 .000

SOG 2 0 2

SOG% .286 .000 .222

YC 0 0 0

RC 0 0 0

GW 0 0 0

PK 0 0 0

PKA 0 0 0

FG 0 0 0

OT 0 0 0

HAT 0 0 0

GTG 0 0 0

Matt Kopsky

5-11 165 So. Defender Chesterfield, Mo. Christian Brothers HS

2008 -- Fiinished the 2008 season with 19 appearances, missing the start in the league tournament championship after taking a knock in the semifinal game that required 21 stitches to the forehead... recorded 1,787 minutes on the season and set up UMKC’s goal against Creighton in the 1-0 upset... also notched an assists in the Kangaroos’ 3-1 win over Central Arkansas... was booked twice on the season, and recorded four shots. Career Stats Year GP 2007 18 2008 19 Totals 37

GS 17 18 35

Min 1447 1787 3234

G 2 0 2

A 1 1 2

Pts 5 1 6

Sh. 17 4 21

Sh.% .118 .000 .095

SOG 6 1 7

SOG% .353 1.000 .333

YC 2 2 4

RC 0 0 0

GW 1 0 1

PK 0 0 0

PKA 0 0 0

FG 1 0 1

OT 0 0 0

HAT 0 0 0

GTG 0 0 0

Chris Markey

5-11 155 So. Defender Birmingham, Ala. Oak Mountain HS

2008 -- Missed the 2008 season after being diagnosed with lymphoma prior to the season. Career Stats Year GP GS Min G A 2007 -2008 Medical hardship season Totals 0 0 0 0 0

Pts

Sh. Sh.%

SOG

SOG%

YC RC

.000

PK PKA 0 0

FG OT HAT

GTG

Brandon Nilsson

5-9 150 RS Fr. Midfielder Chanhassen, Minn. Chaska HS

2008 -- Started 18 of his 19 appearances for the Kangaroos on the 2008 season, tallying one goal and five assists on the year... lone goal was a game-winning strike in UMKC’s 3-1 defeat of Central Arkansas... was a Lowes’s Senior CLASS Award nominee, and served as the team’s captain throughout the campaign. Career Stats Year GP 2006 20 2007 19 2008 19 Totals 58

GS 19 19 18 56

Min 1440 1317 1233 3990

G 2 1 1 4

A 2 0 5 7

Pts 6 2 7 15

Sh. 17 16 15 48

Sh.% .118 .063 .067 .083

SOG 8 4 5 17

SOG% .471 .250 .333 .354

YC 1 1 1 3

RC 0 0 0 0

GW 0 0 1 1

PK 0 0 0 0

PKA 0 0 0 0

FG 1 0 0 1

OT 0 0 0 0

HAT 0 0 0 0

GTG 0 0 0 0

Miguel Rodrigues

5-7

150 Sr. Miami, Fla. Killian HS Stetson

Midfielder

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Player Bios Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

2008 -- Saw time in the midfield for the Kangaroos, appearing in seven matches on the campaign. Career Stats Year GP GS 2008 7 0 Totals 7 0

Min 93 93

G A 0 0 0 0

Pts 0 0

Sh. Sh.% 0 .000 0 .000

SOG 0 0

SOG% .000 .000

YC RC 0 0 0 0

GW 0 0

PK PKA 0 0 0 0

FG OT HAT 0 0 0 0 0 0

GTG 0 0

Jimmy Hangyal

5-7 150 Fr. Midfielder High Ridge, Mo. St. Pius X HS

2008 -- Appeared in 17 of 19 matches for the Kangaroos on the 2008 campaign, notching one goal and four assists... picked up two yellow cards in 435 minutes of action on the season. Career Stats Year GP GS 2008 17 2 Totals 17 2

Min 435 435

G A 1 3 1 3

Pts 5 5

Sh. Sh.% 4 .250 4 .250

SOG 1 1

SOG% .250 .250

YC RC 2 0 2 0

GW 0 0

PK PKA 0 0 0 0

FG OT HAT 0 0 0 0 0 0

GTG 0 0

Diego Rojas

5-6 145 Fr. Forward Bogota, Colombia Keene HS

2008 -- Saw time in two matches for the Kangaroos on the season, posting a 3.15 goals-against average in 200 minutes... registered a 0-1-1 record, with 12 saves on the campaign. Career Stats Year GP GS Min 2005 Redshirt Season 2006 9 8 731 2007 -2008 2 2 200 Totals 9 8 731 Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 Totals

GP GS Minutes Redshirt Season 9 8 731:11 -2 2 200:00 11 10 931:11

G A

Pts

Sh. Sh.%

SOG

SOG%

YC RC

FG OT HAT

GTG

0 0

.000

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

.000 .000

0 0

.000 .000

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

GA GAA

Sh. SOG

Sv%

W L T

SHO

20 2.46

125 63

43 .683

1 6 1

7 27

33 18 158 81

12 55

0 1 1 1 7 2

0 1

3.15 2.61

.632 .679

PK PKA

Ricardo Guerra

5-11 170 Jr. Goalkeeper Caracas, Venezuela G. Holmes Braddock HS

S O C C E R www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

UMKC receives gift of $5 million for soccer stadium socceramerica.com

April 23, 2008

UMKC HAS RECEIVED A GIFT of $5 million -- the largest single commitment ever to UMKC athletics -- for the construction of a new soccer stadium in the heart of UMKC’s Volker campus. The Stanley H. Durwood Foundation and its trustees, Raymond F. Beagle, Jr. and Charles J. Egan, made the pledge that will pave the way for a facility that will provide the Kangaroos with one of the top soccer facilities in the Summit League. The facility also calls for the construction of locker rooms and offices that will benefit the UMKC men’s and women’s soccer, softball and men’s and women’s track and field programs. It also will feature a premier four-lane track and a concession area. The competition venue of the Stanley H. Durwood Stadium is anticipated to be completed for the new UMKC women’s soccer program’s first game in 2009. The entire complex is slated to open in the spring of 2010.

Roos ruffle Cardinals 4-1 By David Cordill

The University News

August 25, 2008

Held scoreless after 110 minutes last week, the UMKC men’s soccer team broke loose Friday night at William Jewell College, punching across two goals in each frame against the Cardinals for a 4-1 victory. Four separate scorers found the back of the net for the Roos. The first, a strike from freshman forward Diego Rojas, came via a deflection early on. After receiving a centering pass from senior forward Brian Harris, Rojas, a native of Bogotá, Columbia, fired into traffic, putting UMKC up 1-0 in the seventh minute. The Roos made it 2-0 late in the first half after Rojas was fouled inside the penalty area. UMKC junior midfielder Brian Perez took the penalty kick, but was denied by the William Jewell goalkeeper on his first attempt. The sharpshooting Perez then got the rebound and drove it home for UMKC’s second score of the evening. Sophomore midfielder John Bayron Sosa took full advantage of another UMKC penalty kick opportunity in the 58th minute. Harris was forced to the ground by a trailing defender on the fringes of the box, setting up the chance for the Kangaroos. On the ensuing effort, Sosa was able to put the ball past a lunging Cardinal goalkeeper for a 3-0 advantage. William Jewell managed to break their silence in the 67th minute, making it 3-1 after converting a throw in near the UMKC goal. The Cardinal goal was the first scored on the Roos in over 176 minutes of preseason soccer. But in the 82nd minute of the match, the Kangaroos were successful on a third penalty kick, this time off the foot of sophomore defender Chris Markey. Again, Rojas was fouled in penalty area. This time he was dragged to the turf from behind after getting a ball from Perez. Markey stepped up to the mark for the Roos and hit for their fourth goal of the match. Afterward, UMKC did not face any serious threat from the Cardinals and went on to win their first exhibition match of the season. Last week, the Kangaroos were on one side of a 0-0 stalemate at Drury University.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

The Roos were two of three on penalty kicks in the match with William Jewell, but, with Perez’s quick reaction to his blocked shot, UMKC showed its ability to capitalize in the important moments. This preseason game set a positive tone for what promises to be a challenging (but hopefully rewarding) season.

dcordill@unews.com

Dreaming of future home games By: David Cordill

The University News

August 25, 2008

I always seem to be missing out on something. In 1972, my Cub Scout group was scheduled to go watch the Royals play on Opening Day at the brand new Harry S. Truman Sports Complex. My buddies from Pack 430 in Clinton, Mo. and I instead watched the game from the unspectacular confines of the dying Municipal Stadium. Due to several workers’ strikes and other setbacks the baseball stadium’s unveiling was delayed until the following year. In 1996, I was to take over the coveted men’s basketball beat for The Scout at Penn Valley Community College. I planned to return to the newspaper following Christmas break. Longtime Head Coach A. Fred Pohlman had an unlikely crew of overachievers that year, and I was chomping at the bit to get in on their run toward a possible postseason tournament berth. Insufficient funding and an instructor’s resignation, however, cancelled the newspaper’s remaining production schedule. That season, Penn Valley won the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II National Championship. And there were other misses too. On my eleventh birthday I had a root canal. As a server in various restaurants, I worked every Thanksgiving, Easter, and Mother’s Day. I nearly missed last Christmas, as I battled a flu strain so bad it needed its own 1970’s Blacksploitation theme music. Now, as I embark on my fourth and final semester of covering men’s soccer at UMKC, I have a sinking feeling I’m getting passed by again. I say this because I know if everything goes as planned; the Kangaroo footballers will have a real home in the 2009 season; and I won’t be around to take pleasure in it, not as a sportswriter anyway. Still, it couldn’t happen to a more deserving program. When I started at University News in 2005, the soccer team toiled in anonymity on a less-than-suitable soccer pitch within Swope Park. A supposed home venue for the Roos, the opposing team’s fans would often outnumber the host’s supporters. A couple of years later, a deal allowing the Kangaroos to use the Kansas City Wizards’ practice facilities for home games was discussed and supported by the Department of Athletics. Unfortunately, a proper agreement could not be reached and UMKC scrambled to find an alternative home base. A suitable arrangement for the 2007 season was made with Rockhurst University. The Roos had also used Rockhurst’s stadium for their final games of the 2006 season, when turf conditions at Swope Park were far from ideal. So, the team was closer to campus, but they still weren’t quite home. A faithful following of fans would show up at the matches and the plush turf was immaculate; yet, playing there still felt like we were wearing someone else’s shirt.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Several blocks west of Troost Avenue, the UMKC soccer field sat unused for competition; it was not wide enough for NCAA specifications. There were renovation rumors afoot, but no one was talking about where the money was going to come from. That was until last May, when the Stanley H. Durwood Foundation slapped down a cool $5 million for a new stadium. And what is it that justifies this gift to the UMKC soccer team? Well, the team has gone 29-24-2 in conference play with Head Coach Rick Benben at the helm and they have been one of the more successful sporting entities at the University in recent history. Now in his 11th season, Benben’s teams have reached the NCAA College Cup tournament twice, most recently in 2003. During this time, Benben received conference Coach of the Year honors on three occasions. With all due respect, some of our teams have conquered much less and still enjoy the benefits of student and alumni patronage. The women’s basketball and volleyball teams both play their home games on campus at the Swinney Recreation Center and benefit from the logistics. The men’s basketball team plays at a more distant downtown venue (Municipal Auditorium), but its program receives more promotion through its high-profile stature. The Kangaroos are slated to begin play at the Stanley H. Durwood Stadium during the 2009 season. This year, however, they will once again play all of their home games at Rockhurst. Most likely due to scheduling conflicts with the athletics department at Rockhurst, the Roos home segment of their 2008 agenda is curiously lumped together over an eight week period. They will play all seven of their home matches during this time frame.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Road-ready Roos battle to stalemate By David Cordill

The University News

September 2, 2008

The Kangaroos bounded into the Windy City Friday night and all but tempered the vaunted Flames of the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) in a 2-2 draw. The match was UMKC’s first ever season opener against a ranked opponent. UIC was ranked 16th in the nation, according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. In 2007, the Flames made it to the Elite Eight during the 2007 NCAA College Cup tournament. Eight starters from that squad are with the current team. After the game, UMKC Head Coach Rick Benben said he relished the opportunity of coaching the Roos at Flames Field in Chicago. “There was a huge crowd and a great atmosphere,” Benben said. “It was just a great game. I really like their coach (UIC Head Coach John Trask). He’s very smart.” After 110 minutes of hard fought soccer, Benben seemed satisfied with the result as well. “Hopefully this gives us a good starting point for the rest of the season,” he said. “I thought that we would play well. I think we had a really good preseason. We knew how we wanted to play.”

This venue snafu should not be an issue next year. I do plan to take in a few matches when I can, just to see what it’s like for our guys to finally play a home game. It’s something I really don’t want to miss.

The scoring did not begin until the second half. UIC senior midfielder, and Bosniak native, Alen Husidic, put the Flames up 1-0 with an effort from the top of the box.

dcordill@unews.com

UMKC got on the board in the 78th minute on junior midfielder Brian Perez’s penalty kick after a Flames defender committed a foul in the box. Perez, who led the Roos in 2007 with six goals, put a ball by UIC junior netminder Jovan Bubonja for the equalizer.

UIC 2-2 UMKC: Husidic salvages draw ESPNsoccernet.com

Moments later, the Kangaroos struck again. Senior forward Brian Harris blasted another shot past the usually stingy Bubonja, who finished last year with a 0.56 goals against average. “It was a great goal, shot with the left foot on the run” Benben said. “[Harris] just crushed it into the far post.”

August 29, 2008

Sixteenth-ranked UIC men’s soccer team played to a 2-2 draw with UMKC at Flames Field.

The coach said the goal was the result of “a nice combination of passing.”

The Flames scored first through Alen Husidic, but found themselves trailing late until a foul in the box committed by the Kangaroos gave the home side a penalty opportunity that was converted by Baggio Husidic with six minutes remaining in regulation.

But Harris’ tally was not enough to extinguish the Flames. UIC junior forward Baggio Husidic, the younger brother of midfielder, Alen turned the match into a family affair in the 84th minute. Husidic’s penalty kick, the result of a UMKC infraction in the box, evened up the match at two goals apiece. Time eventually expired and the contest went into extra periods.

The Kangaroos had taken the lead through second-half goals by Bryan Perez and Brian Harris.

Both squads went scoreless in the two 10 minute overtime frames. Harris had a chance in the 107th minute, but his stab at the net was denied by Bubonja.

“These are early-season games,” said UIC coach John Trask. “They’re tight, and everybody starts 0-0-0. The first game of the season is always very difficult, especially at home, because there are expectations put on you. Sometimes it can go very well and you can jump on a team and get up by a couple of goals and it becomes a great night. More often than not it ends up being a little bit of a war and a gut-check.

With the draw, the Kangaroos open their 2008 season at 0-0-1. Their road-heavy schedule will keep them away from home until Sept. 27, when they take on the University of Indiana Fort Wayne at Bourke Field.

“In that respect, I am very pleased that, after they scored with 13 minutes left, we battled back and got that equalizer. That’s a good sign out of a team early in the season, that they didn’t fold.”

“Hopefully we’re like the Harlem Globetrotters and not the Washington Generals,” he said.

Coach Benben used a basketball comparison when he talked about his team’s lopsided away game slate.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

UMKC recorded seven shots on goal in the match. UIC registered three. Kangaroo senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper chalked up one save on the evening. Bubonja finished with five for the Flames. The match is also the first opening-match draw in the history of the UMKC soccer program.

Roos net first win

dcordill@unews.com

September 8, 2008

By David Cordill

The University News

A trio of second-half goals gave the Kangaroos their first win of the season, a 3-1 besting over the Owls of Florida Atlantic University (FAU).

Second Half Surge Trips Roos By David Cordill

The University News

UMKC, now at 1-1-1 on the year, scored three times during a 20-minute time span Friday night at FAU Field in Boca Raton, Fla., but it was the vacuuming skill of sophomore goalkeeper Ken Cooper that kept the Roos in the match early on.

September 2, 2008

“We started out kind of slow,” said UMKC Head Coach Rick Benben. “Cooper was the star of the match in the first half.”

A couple late second-half goals victimized the UMKC men’s soccer team, which suffered its first season loss, a 3-2 setback to the University of Eastern Illinois (EIU) on Sunday in Charleston, Ill.

A busy Cooper had already recorded five saves before the intermission. He finished with eight on the evening.

After the match, Roo Head Coach Rick Benben was forthright about his team’s performance. “I thought we played as well as we could today,” Benben said. “We had a couple of great chances but their keeper came up big.” In the 17th minute, EIU jumped to a 1-0 advantage on the foot of junior midfielder Jim Adee. UMKC tried to respond later in the half on sophomore midfielder John Bayron Sosa’s free kick, but Panther senior goalkeeper Mark Hansen thwarted the attempt and EIU led at the break. The Roos had three shots on goal in the first half, but were unable to convert on any of their five corner kick opportunities. Exactly one minute into the second half, UMKC got the equalizer. Senior Brian Harris recorded his second tally on the season, and the match tied 1-1. Minutes later, senior midfielder Caleb Mitchell almost gave the Roos the lead but Hansen fisted the ball away and preserved the stalemate. UMKC senior netminder Ken Cooper was also getting some business on his end of the pitch. Early in the second frame, he made three successive saves. Cooper’s lunging stop on Panther Adam Gartner’s free kick in the 55th minute exemplified the goalkeeper’s effort in keeping the match even. But Panther senior midfielder Mike Lewis came through at the 75:21 mark for his first score of the season. The Panthers led 2-1. Cooper kept the Roos close with another fine save in the 78th minute, but he was unable to get to EIU senior forward Brad Peter’s shot moments later. With a little over ten minutes to play, the Roos trailed 3-1. Time ran out on UMKC. Junior midfielder Bryan Perez brought UMKC within a goal, netting his second strike of the season in the game’s 90th minute. But at the final whistle, the Roos were on the short end of a 3-2 result. The Kangaroos finished with nine shots on goal. Cooper recorded nine saves in the match. Both teams finished with six corner kick opportunities. With the loss, UMKC’s record falls to 0-1-1.

UMKC’s offense was punchless for much of the initial frame while the Owls kept them on the defensive. FAU out-shot the Roos 12 to 1 in the period. The Kangaroos could only muster one shot on goal to the Owl’s five, with an attempt by sophomore midfielder John Bayron Sosa in the 5th minute. Fortunately for UMKC, Cooper’s stinginess maintained a scoreless deadlock at the break. Benben said first-half uneasiness led to unnecessary adjustments he used to try and spark his team. A change of heart convinced him to return to his original plan of attack in the second half. “We just needed a little patience,” Benben said. “The way we were playing is the way we need to play. It’s going to take us a while, but those three goals we had are a combination of it.” The patience first paid off for the Roos in the 59th minute. Junior forward Levi Coleman out-footed FAU junior netminder Phillip Lamarre for a loose ball to find the back of the net. The strike was the first for Coleman as a Kangaroo, a transfer from Florida International University. UMKC wasted little time in making it a two-goal lead. Junior midfielder Bryan Perez notched his team-leading third tally of the season on a feed from Coleman at the 66:32 mark. Perez, who topped all UMKC scorers with six goals in 2007, is well on his way to setting a new personal scoring record at UMKC. Senior midfielder Garret Guthrie made it 3-0 for UMKC, making the most of his 28 minutes on the pitch. Guthrie, an all-Summit League second-teamer from last year, worked some magic with fellow senior midfielder Miguel Rodrigues for a goal at 77:10. Rodrigues sent a cross from the left side and Guthrie sent a bounding ball into the right side of the FAU net. The Owls did not respond until late in the match. With just under six minutes remaining, FAU senior defender let go with a shot in the box via a pass from junior defender Jordan Kelly, spoiling a clean sheet for Cooper.

dcordill@unews.com

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Roos battle to 2-2 stalemate By David Cordill

The University News

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

The Kangaroos had only two corner kick opportunities on the afternoon. FIU ended game with six. The Panthers recorded 10 SOGs on the Roos, who managed just four in 110 minutes of play.

dcordill@unews.com

September 8, 2008

UMKC came to terms with adversity in the Sunshine State and walked off a steamy pitch with a 2-2 draw against the Florida International University (FIU) Panthers Sunday afternoon. Senior reserve goalkeeper Ricardo Guerra got the unexpected start for the Roos after scheduled senior starter Ken Cooper fell ill during pregame warm-ups. “Guerra” translates as “war,” and war was what the Roos entered into. The Roos played minus one player during the final minutes of regulation and both overtime periods after sophomore defender Brian Quintana was ejected. Quintana’s second yellow card reduced the Roos’ on-field presence to 10 players. The match wasn’t the cleanest for the FIU Panthers either, who were whistled for 32 fouls. UMKC finished the match with 19. UMKC men’s soccer Head Coach Rick Benben said the result was “probably fair” considering the pickle his team put themselves into. After taking a 1-0 lead, the Kangaroos trailed 3-1 at the half, after yielding two quick scores. They were able to come back and tie the match in the 80th minute. “We gave away two pretty bad defensive mistakes to put us behind,” Benben said. “You have to be happy with the draw.” The Kangaroos opened up the scoring in 31st minute with the header of a former Panther. Junior UMKC forward Levi Coleman, a transfer from FIU, nodded in his second goal of the year off sophomore midfielder John Bayron Sosa’s free kick. But another Guerra, Ricardo’s older brother Juan, was quick to get the Panthers back into the game. Junior J. Guerra, FIU’s all-Conference USA midfielder from 2007, knotted the match at 1-1 with a shot from the top of the box in the 33rd minute. Nearly three minutes later, the elder Guerra again opened fire on his younger sibling, sending three shots at the Kangaroo net minder. Ricardo saved the first effort and the second hit off the crossbar. But the third found the back of the net for J. Guerra and the Panthers led 2-1 going into intermission. The Kangaroos had several chances in the second frame.

Roo Droppings David Cordill

The University News

September 8, 2008

Harris honored by Summit League In recognition of his performance over the span of his first two games, Sept. 2, UMKC senior soccer forward Brian Harris was named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week. Harris scored the go-ahead goal late in the second half Aug. 29 against 16th ranked University of Illinois Chicago. The match resulted in a 2-2 tie. Harris added another strike to his credit during UMKC’s 3-2 loss at Eastern Illinois University Aug 31. Head Coach Rick Benben said that Harris was worthy of the honor. “Brian is well deserving,” he said. “He’s a real pleasure to have around. He had a great weekend and he’s off to a great start.”

Roos jolt #3 ranked Jays, 1-0 By David Cordill

The University News

September 15, 2008

For 90 minutes last Saturday in Omaha, Neb., the #3 ranked Creighton Jays sent a barrage of shots over the crossbar, wide of the post, and right at UMKC senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper. Still, they couldn’t find the back of the net.

Summit League Offensive Player of the Week, Brian Harris nearly evened the match for the Roos in the 60th minute, but the senior forward’s shot hit the crossbar.

But UMKC senior forward Brian Harris’ header found that elusive sweet spot in game’s 16th minute. His tally, coupled with senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper’s five saves on the night, gave the unsung Kangaroos a 1-0 triumph over their vaunted opponents.

Sosa’s stab in the 65th minute smacked the post, as did senior midfielder Caleb Mitchell’s shot at the 78:29 mark.

With his team raising their record to 2-1-2, Head Coach Rick Benben spoke about the importance of the win.

The evener came when senior defender Garret Guthrie leveled the score at 2-2 with his second tally of 2008. UMKC senior midfielder Miguel Rodrigues set up the play with a nice cross and Guthrie took full advantage of it.

“For a regular season game, it was a good one,” Benben said over a vocal group of celebrating team members. “I’m really excited for our players. It’s nice to be rewarded for hard work. I knew the schedule was going to be difficult early on and we weren’t happy with the draw against [#16 ranked University of Illinois Chicago] or the 3-1 loss at Eastern Illinois. It’s nice to get the win.”

The score stayed deadlocked at the end of regulation time and the match went into extra periods. FIU’s Guerra, who finished the match with six shots on goal (SOG), triggered two errant shots in the first overtime (OT). He challenged his brother twice in the second OT with a pair of SOGs in the 108th minute. UMKC was unable to mount any threats during the two five-minute periods and the game ended without a clear victor.

The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)/Adidas Poll ranked Creighton third in the country according to their latest survey. Saturday’s upset marked the second time in school history the Kangaroos have knocked off Creighton when the Jays were ranked third in a national poll. UMKC defeated Creighton 1-0 back in 1996 under the tutelage of Head Coach Mike Brown.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Creighton out-shot the Kangaroos 22-3 in the match, 16 of which were recorded in the second half. They also managed five shots on goal to UMKC’s total of one for the game. But the shot differential did not seem to bother Benben. “We won,” he said. “If we would have got beat 4-0 it would’ve mattered.” According to the Creighton University Athletics’ Web site, Jays Head Coach Bob Warming said his team played “terrific” for the final 70 minutes of the match. But he said the Jays were “too casual” early on and that inexperience led to the UMKC’s first-half score. “That’s the frustrating thing about soccer,” Warming said. “A team can have just one shot and win the game.” Benben gave credit to the effective defensive play of the Roos, and said their particular strategy was the key to victory. “We got the goal and [Creighton] kept sending players forward,” Benben said. “We decided to defend with numbers. They kept the pressure on us but we kept behind the ball. We had to defend like maniacs, and we did.”

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

AWARDS: Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week socceramerica.com

September 16, 2008 GOALKEEPER

Ken Cooper (UMKC) – Sophomore recorded five saves as the Kangaroos knocked off then-No. 2 Creighton, 1-0, in Omaha.

Trio of Roos honored for win By David Cordill

The University News

September 22, 2008

He said he was especially impressed with the play of senior defender Caleb Mitchell, who filled in for sophomore Brian Quintana. As a result of a red card during last week’s match at Florida International University, Quintana, had to sit the game out.

The Kangaroos’ 1-0 defeat of #3 ranked Creighton University netted news across the league, as three members of UMKC’s men’s soccer team were recognized for their efforts last week.

Harris’ goal came by way of a header at 15:52 into the first period. Sophomore Matt Kopsky was credited with the assist, after serving up a chip from around 25 yards out.

Senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper was the Summit League’s Defensive Player of the Week, while senior forward Brian Harris received Summit League Offensive Player of the Week honors.

“Their goalkeeper came out a little late and Brian had a nice finish,” Benben said, describing Harris’ third goal of the season. “Their goalkeeper came up and [Harris] got between him and the defender.”

Cooper and sophomore defender Matt Kopsky’s efforts were also cited in two national publications.

Cooper made two important saves to keep the lead intact. He turned away efforts from forward Jeff Thayer in the 18th minute and Byron Dacy in the 40th minute, preserving the 1-0 advantage at the half. The Jays had two shots on goal going into the break. UMKC left the pitch with one, by virtue of Harris’ strike. Creighton directed three more shots at the UMKC net to open the second half. Cooper denied an attempt from Jay’s freshman midfielder Kris Clark in the 48th minute and stopped a ball from junior forward Jeff Thayer in the 51st minute. Sophomore midfielder Sergio Castillo sent a header wide several minutes later for the Jays. UMKC had not recorded a shot since the 35th minute of the match and were not able to get one off until Kopsky sent a ball sailing high in the 69th minute. The Jays looked to equalize with another trio of tries. Thayer’s effort went wide for Creighton in the 58th minute and two subsequent efforts from Dacy were off the mark as well. Late in the match the Jays kept up the pressure. After a corner kick in the 89th minute, Creighton sophomore midfielder Andrew Duran’s shot veered wide. Darcy again came on with a last ditch effort again in the 90th minute, but Cooper got the save, and ultimately, the clean sheet. All 11 UMKC starters played the full 90 minutes for the Kangaroos. Benben said, since Creighton was the Roo’s lone opponent for the week, the need to substitute wasn’t as necessary as during a typical two-game weekend schedule. He said he was hesitant to replace any of the starters because such a move might upset the team’s cohesiveness. “I never really felt comfortable kicking somebody else in with only the one game on the weekend,” Benben said. “I didn’t want to put somebody else in.”

Kopsky was selected for the “College Soccer News” Team of the Week and Cooper was named Goalkeeper of the Week by “Soccer America.” Harris has snagged the Offensive Player of the Week award twice this season, this time for heading the game-winning goal against the Creighton Jays for the lone tally in UMKC’s stunning victory. Harris, who is tied for the team lead with four goals, said he was surprised to be selected for the distinction again, especially after not getting it at all last season. “It was a shocker,” Harris said. “It’s a great feeling. I didn’t think that with the teams we had been playing that it could happen twice.” With road matches against two top-25 teams early on in their schedule, Harris and the Roos have had their work cut out for them in their first five games. Two weeks before beating the Jays in Lincoln, Neb., the Roos fought to a 2-2 draw against the #16 ranked University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC). Cooper, who recorded his first shutout on the season in the win against Creighton, appeared to be humbled by all the attention. “It’s a really good feeling,” he said. “It’s never really happened to me in college soccer before. It could have happened to any of our defenders.” In his four starts for UMKC, Cooper has 22 saves and has allowed six goals, for a 1.42 goals-against average. Like Cooper, Kopsky received national attention in recognition of his defensive play and his first recorded assist of 2008 against Creighton. Kopsky has gotten the starting nod in all five of UMKC’s games this year. A rocksolid on-field presence, he leads the team in minutes played with a total of 490. Kopsky acknowledged the performance of his fellow players when he spoke about his recent publicity.

dcordill@unews.com

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

“It was a fun week,” he said. “It was a great team effort. I’m just excited about the rest of the season.” Harris’ and Cooper’s sweep of Summit League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors marks the third time in team history of such an occurrence. Brian Garcia and Blake Martin did it for the Roos in November 2004. More recently, Joe Chirco teamed up with Richard Harris for the UMKC award exclusive in October 2006. When the new Stanley H. Durwood soccer stadium opens in fall 2009, the Roos will be able to celebrate these achievements on campus.

dcordill@unews.com

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

But the Bulldogs did the rest of the scoring on this night. Like UMKC in the first half, Gonzaga got its first goal early in the frame and its second one towards the end of the period. Funkhouser out-funked Cooper for his first goal of the season at the 52:17 mark, bringing Gonzaga within one. The Roos had a great chance to seal the game when Gonzaga senior midfielder Nick Heinrichs was called for a hand ball in the box in the 71st minute. Perez took the penalty kick, but his shot was deftly handled by Barnum. “I think Bryan hit a good shot,” Benben said. “The goalkeeper just made a great save.” Funkhouser came back in the 78th minute for the Zags on a free kick from 25 yards out, but his shot bounced off the crossbar.

Rough defeat, as Roos trip up in OT By David Cordill

The University News

September 22, 2008

Then Perdido, who had left the field injured earlier in the half, came back on in the 80th minute. Seven minutes later, he tied the match at 2-2 with his second goal of the season. The Roos had one more opportunity in regulation time, but sophomore midfielder John Bayron Sosa’s free kick from 22 yards out sailed high in the 90th minute and the game went into overtime. The extra period kept Cooper busy. He handled a blast from Perdido early on. Then Garre hit the crossbar with a header in the 96th minute. That was followed by another missed effort from Perdido.

Some losses are harder to forget than others. UMKC’s numbing 3-2 defeat last Saturday night to the Gonzaga Bulldogs in Spokane, Wash., was the kind of loss that could potentially eat a team alive.

Perdido would eventually find the mark (and get the game-winner) at the 98:58 mark of the contest.

With a one-goal lead on the Zags, the Kangaroos headed into the 88th minute with the third win of the season in sight. Ten minutes later, the team left the pitch on the short end of a 3-2 result.

Coach Benben said he needed his team to put the loss aside and concentrate on their next game against the Oregon State Beavers.

UMKC Head Coach Rick Benben has traveled with his team to Nebraska, Illinois, Florida and Washington on a challenging road trip to begin this season.

“We need to be able to answer the bell on Sunday,” he said. “We can’t be feeling sorry for ourselves.”

With that in mind, he said he told his team to quickly put this particular setback out of their thoughts.

UMKC’s record falls to and even 2-2-2 on the season. Cooper finished the night with a total of six saves. Gonzaga had nine shots on the goal for the match. UMKC recorded five.

“We’ve learned a lot about ourselves as a team,” Benben said. “This one’s a tough one to swallow. I told the kids after the game we have to be realistic. We’ve played six really good teams on the road. As disappointed as we are, it’s over.”

dcordill@unews.com

Gonzaga’s man of the match, Tye Perdido, headed in the equalizer off of a free kick 87:17 into the game. Then, near the end of the first overtime, Perdido got the golden goal off a chip, nodding the ball in amid a tangle of humanity in front of the UMKC net.

Beavers blast past Roos, 5-1

The match had started well, with the Kangaroos getting on the scoreboard early in the first half. Senior forward Brian Harris knocked in his fourth goal of the year, sending a through ball into the top left corner from 15 yards out in the game’s sixth minute off of junior midfielder Bryan Perez’s assist. Gonzaga tried to respond 12:29 into the first half, but sophomore forward Phillip Garre’s shot hit the crossbar. Perdido mustered another effort several minutes later, but UMKC senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper gobbled up the effort. Then junior midfielder Ben Funkhouser tried his luck at the net, but Cooper was there to grab his second save of the night. Freshman forward Diego Rojas banged in his first goal as a Kangaroo just before the break. Rojas beat Gonzaga junior goalkeeper Scott Barnum from 12 yards out in a one-on-one situation to make the score 2-0. Junior forward Levi Coleman got the assist and UMKC headed to the locker rooms with a comfortable lead at the break.

By David Cordill

The University News

September 22, 2008

The Kangaroos were kicked in the pouch, among various other places, in a 5-1 nightmare against the Oregon State University Beavers Sunday afternoon in Spokane, Wash. The loss marks UMKC’s worst in over two years, matching the four-goal deficit they suffered in a 6-2 drubbing at Memphis University on Sept. 9, 2006. After taking a 1-0 lead in the first frame, the eager Beavers hit the Roos hard over the next 45 minutes, scoring four more times before the final whistle. UMKC answered feebly with a lone goal when the game was, for the most part, out of reach. UMKC, falling to 2-3-2 on the season, had early chances but could not capitalize against OSU.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Senior forward Brian Harris had a one-on-one opportunity in the eighth minute from six yards out. His shot found the stingy mitts of Beaver goalkeeper Mike Miller. Levi Coleman had an open shot in the 13th minute, but his effort went wide. OSU responded with several shots of their own, while zeroing in on UMKC senior netminder Ricardo Guerra. Guerra was getting his second start of the season in place of ailing Senior Ken Copper. He made saves on attempts from the Beavers’ Daniel Leach in the 18th minute and Robby Christner in the 25th minute.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Guthrie, one of the 30 representatives from the men’s soccer division, said he was truly flattered to be considered for the accolade. “I was really surprised when my mom told me,” he said. “When you think about whom you are going up against; all the guys from the big schools who win the national championships, you just kind of take yourself out of the mix from the beginning.” The list of potential recipients will be whittled down to ten finalists in October. The winners will then be chosen through the balloting of Division I coaches within the college sport, fans, national media, and sponsors.

Then things got bad in a hurry for the Kangaroos.

On the pitch with the Kangaroos, Guthrie was a 2007 Second Team all-Summit League honoree and named twice as the Summit Leagues Offensive Player of the Week.

Christner broke the first half stalemate at the 36:57, going to the far post for OSU with a shot from the top of the penalty box.

He also received the 2007 Jack Gant Award, which recognizes the academic and physical accomplishment of UMKC’s top student athlete.

Then OSU went to work in furious fashion after the break, scalding the Roos with three goals over the next eight minutes.

dcordill@unews.com

Nearly five minutes into the second half, Leach increased the Beavers’ advantage to 2-0. Leach found the back of the net on a near-post goal, his first on the year. Tim Kelly’s header from six yards out in the 53rd minute made it 3-0 Beavers. Then, at the 57:35 mark, Christner got his second strike of the match on a through-ball shot from 16 yards away, putting OSU up 4-0. The Kangaroos tried to get back in the game with a goal from junior midfielder Brian Perez. Hitting on a wide open shot at 67:16 into the match, Perez’ fourth tally of the season trimmed the deficit to 4-1. However, OSU wasn’t about to let UMKC back into game. Showing no mercy, the Beavers gnashed back with Ryan Callahan’s missile past a lunging Guerra for the last laugh and a 5-1 basting of the Kangaroos. UMKC ended the day with nine shots on goal; OSU totaled three for the game. Guerra recorded four saves for the Roos while the Beavers’ Miller notched two for the match.

2008 season full of upsets By Maria Burns Ortiz

ESPNsoccernet.com

September 30, 2008

Sometimes you see a score and have to read it twice, just to make sure you didn’t transpose the numbers in your mind. Columbia 3, Santa Barbara 1.University of Missouri-Kansas City 1, Creighton 0.Dartmouth 4, Indiana 0. That kind of double take is a sign of a true upset. This year, like every other, already has had its share of surprising outcomes. Just this past weekend, North Carolina State shut out No. 13 Boston College 2-0, and Tulsa trounced No. 6 Southern Methodist 4-1. And usually in these kinds of contests, we focus on the losing teams, not the victorious underdogs.

dcordill@unews.com

The truth is, while an upset loss usually doesn’t destroy a season (NCAA tournament aside), the effects of an unexpected win can provide the momentum a struggling team needs.

Roos’ Guthrie recognized

“For the team, it’s a huge confidence boost,” UMKC goalkeeper Ken Cooper said after the win over then-No. 3 Creighton on Sept. 13. “It just proves that if we play anybody, we can beat anybody. … The energy we have as a team now is just unbelievable. Yesterday at practice, everyone was just on fire -- the whole mentality changed.”

By David Cordill

The University News

September 22, 2008

Garret Guthrie, senior defender for the UMKC men’s soccer team, was selected as one of the 30 semi-finalists for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award. The CLASS acronym stands for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. Selection criterion for the award includes classroom performance, personal character, community involvement, and team oriented achievements. The award is presented every year to the “outstanding senior NCAA Division I Student Athlete,” according to the official Web site at www.seniorclassaward. com.

Such self-assurance can make all the difference when games often are decided by a momentary lapse. It’s also something only experience can convey. Coaches can repeatedly tell their teams they have the ability to win. Players can replay losses in their minds or on video, watching for those moments when a win was possible. But none of that drives the point home like an impressive victory. “You start thinking, ‘I can do things that maybe the average person might not think that I can do,’” said Columbia forward Bayo Adafin, who scored all three goals in the Lions’ Sept. 14 victory over the Gauchos. “I mean, the average person wouldn’t have thought coming into that game [against Santa Barbara] that Columbia was going to win 3-1, and we proved everyone wrong. It really changes the mindset.”

Lowe’s is an official corporate sponsor of the NCAA and its current award spans across nine college sports.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

While an upset win can be huge, it’s what happens afterward that is most likely to define a team, something Lions coach Leo Chappel hammered home to his players before their next game against La Salle. “I said, ‘This is the biggest game of the year. We can’t have a letdown,’” Chappel recalled. “It was all us in overtime [Columbia scored with less than a minute remaining in the second overtime for the 2-1 win]. It was a great result. A tie would have been a letdown for sure.” UMKC coach Rick Benben echoed that sentiment. His team has had its share of upset wins over the years. The Kangaroos opened this season on a high note, playing the University of Illinois-Chicago to a 2-2 draw and besting Creighton a week and a half later. “We’ve beaten a number of top-10 teams [over the years], and what we talk about with the kids is you need to do it every game,” Benben said. “It’s great to beat Creighton, and it’s given us a lot of really nice publicity and notoriety, but they understand you have to play at a high level every game. It starts with that, and hopefully, you can get the results to go with that.” An upset isn’t a cure-all, as both Columbia and UMKC have found out firsthand. The Lions fell to Quinnipiac and Long Island University (both in double overtime) over the weekend, while the Kangaroos have gone 1-2 since defeating the Bluejays. It’s unlikely we’ll see Columbia or UMKC make a postseason run this year (although stranger things have happened in the world of college soccer), but one thing is certain: These teams now know they can contend with the best in the country. “This kind of win puts the idea in your head that if you work hard -- and there’s still work to be done; the season’s not over, but this is the starting point -- we can accomplish something hopefully,” Adafin said. Several teams that pulled off big early season wins are proof. Still, it’s important to note that a team doesn’t need to be struggling to pull off an upset. Sometimes, it’s just underrated. Case in point: After Dartmouth’s victory over IU, the previously unranked Big Green were catapulted into the national rankings and since have climbed upward, now occupying the No. 18 spot. No. 4 St. John’s wasn’t on the national radar when it beat then-No. 12 Brown 1-0 and tied then-No. 2 Boston College 1-1 in the first week of September. As we see every season, teams will continue to emerge from obscurity and surprise everyone with their success. Which ones will have staying power remains to be seen.

Maria Burns Ortiz covers college soccer for ESPNsoccernet. She can be reached at mariamburns@gmail.com.

MORNING BRIEFING: Top 25 teams in close games By Paul Kennedy

socceramerica.com

October 1, 2008

NO. 3 SAINT LOUIS AND No. 10 Northwestern battled to a 0-0 tie in the marque match of a busy Tuesday night of men’s college action. Englishman Kyle Patterson had the best chance of the game for SLU (4-0-4), but his shot hit the crossbar.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Northwestern (8-0-2) has now allowed only one goal in 10 games. The visiting Wildcats’ best chance came in the first overtime period when Drew Ratner’s shot was cleared off the line by freshman Alex Johnston. Next up for SLU: Creighton at home on Saturday. Also on Tuesday ... NO. 1 MARYLAND-BINGHAMTON (1-0). Matt Kassel’s first goal of his Maryland career was the only goal in a game delayed nearly an hour and a half due to strong lightning at Ludwig Field. NO. 12 NORTH CAROLINA-UNC ASHEVILLE (2-1). Freshman forward Alex Dixon headed home the game-winner in the 68th minute. Sophomore midfielder Cameron Brown also scored as the Tar Heels (8-1-1) surpassed their victory total from last season in just their 10th match of 2008. EVANSVILLE-NO. 17 INDIANA (2-3). The Hoosiers saw their two-goal lead disappear before coming back in overtime on freshman Will Bruin’s goal, his second of the match, for a 3-2 win. A crowd of 2,360 was on hand to witness the Hoosiers’ first visit to Evansville since 1998. UMKC-NO. 21 DRAKE (4-3). Junior Bryan Perez scored the winning goal to a cap a hat-trick performance. It marked the second time this season UMKC upset a nationally ranked team after beating then-No. 3 Creighton, 1-0, Sept. 3. “It was a bizarre game,” said Drake coach Sean Holmes. “We gave up four goals in one game after opening the season allowing a total of only four goals in our first eight games. Playing on artificial turf was awful hard for a team having played on the road for so long.” NO. 24 DUKE-STONY BROOK (5-0). Senior Mike Grella scored three goals in a span of eight minutes in the second half and an assist to push the Blue Devils past Stony Brook.

Roos win on a hunch and a hat trick By David Cordill

The University News

October 6, 2008

With his team down 3-2 early in the second half and one of his team’s elite scorers lying motionless on the turf, UMKC senior forward Caleb Mitchell had a premonition of sorts. While trainers attended to Kangaroo senior forward Brain Harris, who collided with Drake goalkeeper Michael Drozd moments earlier, Mitchell gave a fellow teammate a reassuring message. “I told [senior midfielder] Garret Guthrie ‘I’m going to score here in the next five minutes,’” he said. But it didn’t take Mitchell nearly that long. His electrifying equalizer in the 57th minute sparked the Kangaroos to a thrilling 4-3 win Tuesday night over the 25thranked Bulldogs of Drake University, at Bourke Field. Mitchell, running down the right flank, headed down a pinpoint pass from Guthrie and promptly deposited the ball into the Drake net. “I’d been waiting for a ball like that the whole game,” he said. “I was looking for the upper corner and I just put it where it needed to be.”

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Three minutes later, UMKC’s man of the match, junior forward Bryan Perez, sealed a hat trick with a far-post blast that put the Kangaroos up for good. Perez’ three-goal performance was only the fifth in UMKC history and the first since the 2004 season. The Roos (4-3-2; 1-0 Summit League) had to dig deep to get the win against the Bulldogs. They came back from an early two goal deficit, only to fall behind again before mounting a decisive counterattack. After the go-ahead goal, a sound defense fended off a barrage of late game sorties headed toward the UMKC net, keeping both the Kangaroo bench and the partisan crowd on edge. Senior midfielder Miguel Rodrigues, sophomore defender Matt Kopsky and Guthrie all cleared the ball out of danger at crucial times for UMKC late in the game.

Calling the match a “competitive friendship,” Perez noted after the game the two teams knew each other well because they compete together in spring scrimmages and in summer leagues. With his right eye swollen and purple from a second-half run-in with a Bulldog defender, Perez commented on his trifecta and on the game itself. “I feel accomplished”, he said. “We played hard all 90 minutes. It was a team effort.” After defeating number 3 ranked Creighton University several weeks ago, Perez was asked how this victory felt in comparison. “This one’s bigger than Creighton,” he said. “Not only because we came back and won but also because we played better as a team.”

Going low for his third save of the night, senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper iced the match in the contest’s anxious 90th minute, giving the Kangaroos their second win over a consensus Top 25 team this season. Drake was ranked 25th by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA). The Kangaroos shutout NSCAA number 3 ranked Creighton University 1-0 on Sept. 13.

dcordill@unews.com

But to see Head Coach Rick Benben shortly after the 90 minute thrill ride, carrying a cardboard box filled with his team’s postgame meal to the locker room, it would appear as if his boys had just finished a routine scrimmage.

By David Cordill

The encumbered coach did pause long enough to give a matter-of-fact assessment of the Roos performance. “I think we’re good,” Benben said. “We still got a long way to go, but it’s still a good win.” After a tentative start by both squads, the Bulldogs looked to make quick work of the Kangaroos, scoring two goals in the 16th and 17th minutes. Drake’s junior midfielder Kevin Shrout’s untenable blast from the left side of the penalty box put the visitors up 1-0. Then, with the sting of the first goal still smarting, Bulldog’s freshman forward Hunter Kennedy deftly connected on a shot to the left post past Cooper to extend their advantage. The onslaught took all of 39 seconds. The Roos, dazed and on the ropes, desperately needed to get out of a 2-0 hole.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Roos continue to roll The University News

October 6, 2008

The red-hot UMKC men’s soccer team surged to 2-0 in the Summit League by way of a 3-0 thumping of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Saturday afternoon at Bourke field. Senior midfielder Caleb Mitchell got his second goal of the season in the 25th minute for the game winner, and senior forward Brian Harris knocked in two second half tallies in the win. The victory is the third in a row for the Kangaroos who currently sit in a first place conference tie. UMKC Head Coach Rick Benben said he was not only happy with the way his team played, but with the boisterous fans in attendance for the Kangaroos homecoming match.

Enter Perez. The scrappy 5-foot-8-inch leading scorer for UMKC was swift in his efforts to ease the pain and eliminate the deficit. Perez got the Roos within a point of Drake a little over a minute after the Bulldogs’ second goal. Setting a free kick from UMKC sophomore midfielder John Bayron Sosa, Perez calmly turned and fired the ball toward the far post and into the back of the net.

“Conference games are just so crucial and the crowd was awesome,” Benben said after the game. “To put on a good performance like we did feels good. It’s not easy in soccer to play like we did Tuesday night [a 4-3 win against number 25 Drake] and come back and play like we did.”

He proceeded to knot the score on 2-2 at the 22:14 mark, off a ball feed from Sosa. After gaining possession, Perez smartly dribbled the ball around Drozd, who went to the ground trying to defend against the attack. Getting past Drozd, Perez was able to nudge the equalizer into the goal and, just like that, the Roos had new life.

“It’s great,” he said. “I’m really enjoying this winning streak. We’ve got two conference wins in a row and two shut outs.”

But Drake came back to make it 3-2 in the 36th minute when junior midfielder Luke Gorczyca chipped a ball over Cooper’s outstretched hands and just under the crossbar. The possession leading up to the score was the subject of derision from the UMKC bench. Comparing the Drake offensive style of play as “using karate,” Coach Benben reacted in verbal disgust from the sideline at the contact allowed prior to Gorczyca’s tally. It appeared as if a few of the Kangaroo defenders were fouled seconds before the go-ahead goal but the game officials ruled otherwise and let the teams play on. The matter was conveniently forgotten, however, after the resilient Roos gnashed back with goals from Mitchell and Perez. Mitchell evened the match at 3-3 at the 56:06 mark and Perez hit the gamewinner at 59:14.

Harris echoed Benben’s sentiments.

The Kangaroos (5-3-2) got on the board at the 24:54 mark when Mitchell connected on a bounding shot into the Jaguar goal, the result of a nice feed from sophomore midfielder John Bayron Sosa. “Sosa ran it up the middle and played a perfect ball,” Mitchell said. “The goalie came up and I put it right by him. It was a good ball, I couldn’t miss it.” UMKC made it 2-0 in the 50th minute when Harris got behind the defenders and put a move on IUPUI goalkeeper Tyler Keever. Harris snuck the ball past a sliding Keever who had committed himself too early on the shot. Junior forward Levi Coleman was credited with his team-leading fifth assist on the play. The Roos capped off the scoring in the 81st minute when Harris and Mitchell teamed up for UMKC’s third goal of the afternoon. Harris rifled a 12-yard blast into the back of the net for his second strike of the match. “I got a flick from Caleb,” Harris said. “The defender stopped and I just ripped a shot.”

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

The Jaguars were frustrated throughout the 90 minutes, as UMKC defenders were dominant on the pitch, allowing very few chances for IUPUI to find open space or quick strike opportunities.The Kangaroos held the Jaguars to two shots on goal which were not much more than routine saves for senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper. UMKC sophomore Chris Markey also came up with a threat-ending defensive play late in the first half, heading out a dangerous ball from inside the penalty area. With another league matchup coming up next Saturday against a tough opponent, the Kangaroos know they can’t relax for a minute. “We’ve been whuppin’ up on the conference so far and that’s important,” Mitchell said. “We just need to keep our momentum and use it against Western Illinois.” UMKC takes on the Leathernecks of Western Illinois University this Saturday at 1 p.m. in Macomb, Ill.

dcordill@unews.com

AWARDS: Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week socceramerica.com

October 7, 2008

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Junior UMKC defender John David Hernandez took a shot at the Leatherneck goal in the 21st minute, but WIU netminder Stephen Paterson came up with the ball in his mitts. Junior forward Levi Coleman had a good chance for the Roos in the 31st minute, but his effort sailed wide of the post. Senior forward Brian Harris followed with a shot near the end of the half, but he could not get the ball past the cagey Paterson, who finished with three saves on the night. The second half opened with the Kangaroos firing several volleys wide of the mark. Senior midfielder Caleb Mitchell, Harris and Coleman all sent errant balls in Paterson’s direction during the first 15 minutes of the second half. WIU defender Jeff Schield then tested the UMKC net but without results. Gallant senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper came up with the first of his six saves on the night for the Roos when Schield took his team’s first shot on goal at the 62:01 mark. Junior midfielder Martin Browne Jr. tried again for the Leathernecks in the 74th minute, but he too was denied by Cooper. The Kangaroos, on the other hand, were unable to mount a significant attack against WIU for the latter part of the second stanza. With the match tied 0-0 at the end of regulation, the squads squared off for an additional 10 minutes of overtime. Due to another Paterson stoppage, UMKC’s Harris narrowly missed a game-winner in the 98th minute and the teams remained deadlocked. The match moved on to a second overtime period and Hinds nailed the golden goal at the 105:18 mark for the Leathernecks.

MIDFIELDERS Brian Perez (UMKC) – Junior had hat trick in UMKC’s 4-3 upset of ranked Drake.

“We knew going in that it was going to be a tough game,” Benben said. “We just need to learn from it and move on. Western Illinois has had a pretty good season up to this point and I guess today it just got better for them.”

Kangaroos kicked in OT

The Kangaroos will try to get back on the winning track with a match against Rockhurst University Wednesday night at Bourke Field. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

By David Cordill

The University News

dcordill@unews.com

October 13, 2008

Western Illinois University’s (WIU) sudden dagger in the 106th minute felled the UMKC men’s soccer team 1-0 Saturday afternoon in Macomb, Ill. The Leathernecks’ (8-3-2; 1-1 Summit League) midfielder Kevin Hinds scored on a cross from forward Darryl Odom from five yards out during the second overtime. This ended the Kangaroos three-game winning streak and their hopes of cracking the top 25 in the NCAA Division I soccer rankings. Going into the match, for the first time in the history of the soccer program, UMKC had received votes in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll. Once tabulated, the NSCAA votes decide which schools are the top teams in the nation. A win against WIU probably would have secured a spot in the rankings for the Roos, who fell to 2-1 in the Summit League and 5-4-2 overall. Currently, the Roos are in a first-place tie with Oakland University in league standings. “It was really a toss-up game,” Kangaroos Head Coach Rick Benben said. “It probably should have been a tie. We just couldn’t convert today. I’m disappointed with the result, but the effort was good. I congratulate Western Illinois on the win.” Neither team could find the back of the net during 90 minutes of stalemate soccer.

Roo wins national recognition By David Cordill

The University News

October 13, 2008

Bryan Perez, junior midfielder for the UMKC men’s soccer team, received double honors last week. Perez was named to Soccer America Team of the Week a day after receiving Summit League Offensive Player of the Week honors Oct. 7. After recording only the fifth hat trick in Kangaroo soccer history during UMKC’s 4-3 upset over number 19 Drake University, Perez was recognized regionally and nationally. Perez, a 20-year-old Liberal Arts major from Miami, Fla., said he appreciated how the accolades translated to a team effort. “It feels good to have UMKC get recognition like that,” he said. “It’s a good thing that everybody’s plugged in and helping us to win.” With seven goals on the season, Perez is tied for the top spot on the UMKC squad. He is also the Kangaroos leading active scorer with 15 career tallies. Getting the start in all of UMKC’s matches in 2007, Perez earned a First Team All-Summit League selection. He was also named to the Summit League Fall Academic All-League team.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

The recent honors also hold a personal significance to Perez. “It means a lot to me because it gives me confidence as a player,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the season because I think we have something really special here.”

Late heroics lift Roos over Hawks in OT By David Cordill

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

The ball passed over a jostling tangle of players trying to make a play on it before bouncing unmolested into the Rockhurst net. “I tried to aim the ball and the keeper wasn’t expecting it,” Sosa said. “Nobody touched it.” With the score deadlocked at 2-2 after 90 minutes, the match went into two overtime sessions. Junior midfielder Brian Perez tried to end it in a hurry for the Kangaroos, smacking a free kick into the Rockhurst defense 10 seconds into the first overtime. Perez tried again in the final seconds of the first extra period with a sliding attempt at a ball near the box, but his shot was off the mark and the match progressed into double overtime. The match would end shortly afterwards in a shower of backslaps and hugs when Mitchell struck his winning tally 10 seconds into the second overtime.

The University News

October 20, 2008

Senior forward Caleb Mitchell is making the most of his recent starts for the UMKC men’s soccer team. Mitchell stung Rockhurst University for two goals, including an overtime gamewinner in the 101st minute, for a 3-2 victory against the Hawks Wednesday night at Bourke Field. The golden goal came as a result of sophomore midfielder John Bayron Sosa’s free kick from 25 yards out near the left corner of the penalty area. Sosa’s boot hit the defending wall and bounced in front of Mitchell, who left-footed the ball into a Rockhurst defender. The ball caromed back to him on the rebound. He immediately swiped at it with his other foot and found the back of the net. “(Sophomore defender Chris) Markey flicked it out and it landed right in front of me,” Mitchell said. “I hit it with my left and it fell back to my right and I just put it in.” With only one career tally to his credit since his freshman year in 2004, Mitchell has caught fire recently, ripping the opposing nets for four goals since getting the start at forward five weeks ago. Currently, he ranks third on the team in scoring. UMKC (6-4-2; 2-1 Summit League - 7-4-2 with Saturday’s game) had to come from a goal down to get the game into extra periods. Although the Roos had the upper hand for most of the match, the Hawks made the most of their opportunities. The Kangaroos scored first off Mitchell’s low angling drive past Rockhurst netminder Chad Becker in the 24th minute. Off of a cross, senior forward Brian Harris touched a pass over to Mitchell, who drilled a shot from six yards out. Rockhurst (11-1-1) evened the score at 1-1 on Walter Moskop’s free kick at the 40:04 mark. Moskop’s effort, cleared the wall and made it over leaping UMKC senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper’s outstretched fingertips for the equalizer. The Hawks looked to pull away from the Kangaroos, striking again in the 54th minute. Kyle Samuelson’s fast-break possession down the middle of the field gave him a one-on-one opportunity against Cooper. Samuelson put a move on Cooper as he neared the box, then uncorked a well placed ball into the top left corner of the net. Down 2-1, the situation became increasingly desperate for the Kangaroos as time was winding down. Freshman midfielder Sean Butler and Harris both had decent chances in the 49th and 69th minute respectively, but their shots were smartly handled by a vigilant Becker. Then, in the 84th minute, UMKC tied the match on an unlikely goal. After being awarded a free kick, Sosa chipped a ball from about five yards outside of the top corner of the penalty area.

Rockhurst played the game without two of their top scorers, a fact UMKC Head Coach Benben pointed out after the game. But he said he was satisfied with his team’s resilient performance. “I’m pleased we won,” he said. “Rockhurst has a good team but our guys really hung in there. We kinda gutted through it, we really had to keep trying. We play for 90 minutes. They’re undefeated and they’re one of the top Division II teams in the country [#9 according to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll]. So it was a good win.” The sudden victory was UMKC’s first overtime win since 2004. Most recently, they lost 1-0 to Western Illinois in the 106th minute. Sosa said it was good to finally come out on top for a change. “We just came from a game we lost in OT,” he said. “It feels awful when you put out all that effort and lose. Everybody just kept working hard out there.” Mitchell said UMKC’s effort wasn’t pretty but he was content with the result. “We should have played better,” he said. “Sometimes you just have to grind things out. If you’re a good team, you just got to find ways to win.”

dcordill@unews.com

Streaking Roos feel right at home By David Cordill

The University News

October 20, 2008

The UMKC men’s soccer team stayed perfect at home by notching a 3-1 victory over the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) Saturday afternoon at Bourke Field. The Kangaroos improved their record to 7-4-2 overall and have won all five of their home games this season. UMKC has not won seven games this early in the schedule since 2001. That year Head Coach Rick Benben’s squad posted the best record in the Kangaroo’s Division I history, going 12-7-1 on the year. The match was not as close as the final score indicated. The Roos ruled the day all over the pitch. Their only enemy through 90 minutes of soccer was the possibility of a team letdown. UMKC assistant coach Fred Schlichting explained why that did not happen. “We play to a standard of our game, regardless of our opponent,” he said. Schlichting complimented the squad as a whole then singled out a couple of players as keys to the Kangaroos dominance over the Bears.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

“It was a team effort,” he said. “Everybody contributed in good ways. [Junior defender] John David Hernandez stood out on defense. [Freshman midfielder] Sean Butler was very active on both sides of the ball.” UMKC was able to move the ball around effectively from the outset. Able to keep UCA off balance defensively, it did not take the Kangaroos long to jump on top of the Bears. Barely six minutes into the match, junior midfielder Bryan Perez rung up his team-leading eighth goal of the year. Perez’ shot, a soft arcing ball from 20 yards out was just high enough to escape deflection. The shot resembled a lob more than it did a drive but Perez hit it just right and the Roos were up 1-0. Sophomore defender Chris Markey got credit for the assist, his first of 2008. Senior goalkeeper Ken Cooper would come up big for the Roos later in the half with a huge save after a would-be UCA scorer attempted to head in a corner kick. Cooper recorded four saves for the match and allowed a meaningless goal in the 89th minute. The Kangaroos’ next goal was a cleverly executed effort from senior midfielder Miguel Rodrigues who fed the ball into the penalty area to senior forward Brian Harris. Harris kicked the ball back out to a Rodrigues who juked a move on UCA goalkeeper Ernesto Pena before he blasted the ball into the net. “The defender bit outside and I took him in and played the ball to Harris. [When he got it back] I took the ball with conviction,” Rodrigues said about his first tally of the season. “We work on that a lot in practice. We put emphasis on those kinds of drills.” The Kangaroos added a third strike at the 72:25 mark, when freshman midfielder Sean Butler found the back of the net for his second tally of the year. Butler’s shot went near post to put the game on ice for UMKC. Freshman forward Diego Rojas picked up the co-assist along with Bryan Perez. UCA’s Zach Burns would get the Bears lone score on the afternoon on an assist for Jordan Prescott. Burns was able to find the lose ball amid a tangle of players in the penalty area and put a shot past Cooper. The matchup was the third between UMKC and UCA. The Kangaroos lead the series 3-0.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

The honor recognizes “the outstanding senior NCAA Division I Student Athlete of the Year,” according to the award’s official Web site. The acronym CLASS stands for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. The award spotlights individual for their performance in both athletics and academics. Guthrie, a chemistry major, celebrated numerous accolades on and off the soccer pitch in 2007. He was a two time recipient of the Summit League Offensive Player of the Week and UMKC’s Jack Gant Award winner. The final selection process involves voting from coaches, media members and fans. Ballots may be cast through Nov. 19. Winners in Guthrie’s particular category will be announced at the 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championships Dec. 12-14. To cast a ballot for Guthrie or any other collegiate soccer player please go to http://soccer.seniorclassaward.com/public/men/vote.aspx.

Roos romp on Harris’ hat trick By David Cordill

The University News

October 27, 2008

Senior forward Bryan Harris recorded a Senior Day hat trick, vaulting the UMKC men’s soccer team over Oral Roberts University (ORU) 3-1 at Bourke Field Saturday afternoon. Harris found the back of the net twice in the first frame and again in the second for the sixth three-goal performance in UMKC history. “It’s amazing, especially on Senior Day,” said Harris on his feat. “It feels awesome.” The trio of strikes moves Harris into the lead among UMKC goal scorers with ten on the year. He also leads the team in points with 24 total on the season. With the win against a conference opponent, the Kangaroos (8-4-2; 3-1) move into sole possession on second place in Summit League standings, trailing Oakland University by only three points. Head Coach Rick Benben talked about the implications of the win.

The Roos registered seven shots on goal on 15 shots total during the contest while the Bears fired five within range out of a total of 12.

“It was a huge game,” he said. “It put us a long way towards getting us into the conference tournament. But we still want to win the conference title outright.”

The UMKC men’s soccer team will face a tough conference foe on Senior Day for their final Summit League home game this year.

Benben said he liked what he saw from the Kangaroos defensive against what he called “a good attacking team.”

Saturday, Oct. 25, the Kangaroos will take on Oral Roberts University at Bourke Field on the campus of Rockhurst University. Kick off is scheduled for 1 p.m.

“Coops [UMKC sophomore goalkeeper Ken Cooper] was solid at goal,” he said. “Chris Markey, John David [Hernandez] and Matt Kopsky played really good too. Quinty [sophomore defender Brian Quintana] and [freshman midfielder] Sean Butler also do a ton of work for us. Those guys and players like Garret Guthrie and Miguel Rodrigues are the unsung ones. The demands on them are a lot.”

dcordill@unews.com

Guthrie on CLASS Award shortlist By David Cordill

UMKC opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Guthrie targeted a pass to Harris near the top right corner of the penalty area. Harris then chipped the ball nicely over ORU goalkeeper Irving Peralta for his first goal of the match.

The University News

October 20, 2008

Garret Guthrie, senior defender of the UMKC men’s soccer team, got one step closer to a prestigious honor Oct. 16. Guthrie will be one of ten men’s college soccer representatives selected for Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award.

The Golden Eagles (5-7-2; 2-1-1) equalized the match at 1-1 in the 30th minute on Carlos Pinto’s fifth goal of the season. Pinto found momentary space amid the Kangaroo defenders and was able to punch the ball under a diving Cooper for the score.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

The stalemate was short-lived. Four-and-a-half minutes later, the UMKC junior midfielder Bryan Perez set up a through ball to Harris who was again near the top left of the penalty area. Harris promptly sent a high arcing shot over the fingertips of a leaping Peralta for a 2-1 advantage. The Kangaroos would put the game on ice in the 65th minute on Harris’ third strike of the match. Perez again fed Harris, this time with a smart inside ball that trickled just behind the ORU defenders. Harris, trailing the pass, caught up with the ball and pushed it past an overextended Peralta. “Perez saw me running at played it through,” said Harris. “Then it was just one on one. I couldn’t ask for a better ball.” With the important conference victory, UMKC stayed a perfect 6-0 at home. They have won their last nine matches at Bourke Field. After the game, Kangaroos captain Miguel Rodrigues relished in the team’s triumph. “We’re undefeated at home,” he said. “It was Senior Day and it was great to have Harris score three goals. This could be a clincher for the conference tournament.” Rodrigues, Harris, Guthrie, senior midfielder Levi Coleman and senior forward Caleb Mitchell were honored at halftime during a Senior Day ceremony.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

Linda Coleman is happier to have her youngest bird closer to the nest. “We were thrilled to have him closer to home.” It’s a much shorter drive to Kansas City than it is to Miami. A drive the Colemans have made seven times, with one remaining. UMKC’s final home game is at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28. The Roos will be playing Missouri State at Rockhurst University, Bourke Field.

Dave’s place - Support for soccer is missing By David Cordill

The University News

October 27, 2008

The mother of one of the members of UMKC men’s soccer team pulled me aside just before the Kangaroos kicked off against Oral Roberts University last Saturday. Looking across the pitch at the empty stands on the east side of Bourke Field she expressed dismay at the small crowd turnout. “It’s Senior Day,” she said.

The players were joined by their respective parents on the soccer field at the intermission.

She wondered aloud where all UMKC’s student support was, especially on an afternoon where she would join her husband to participate in a halftime ceremony honoring her son and his fellow seniors.

Harris’ hat trick was the second such performance of the season for the Kangaroos and marks the first time in UMKC history that the feat has been accomplished twice in the same year.

After briefly surveying the situation, I too began to speculate why UMKC’s students were staying away.

Bryan Perez tallied three goals in the Kangaroos 4-1 win over Drake University. Cooper finished the game with three saves on the afternoon. UMKC registered eight shots on goal for the game. The Kangaroos resume action Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. with a match against Missouri State. This will be UMKC’s final home game of the 2008 season.

dcordill@unews.com

I took my usual roving position on the asphalt drives behind the team benches, and looked across the pitch to count the fans in the east stands. There were fifteen in all, and considering the reactions among a small pocket of them who rose to cheer during ORU’s starting lineup, about a third of them were for the other team. On my side of the field it was more densely populated, but even then there were only about 50 people there at best. And most of these people were staunch UMKC alumni game regulars, UMKC student athletes, UMKC Athletics Department staff, and the parents of UMKC soccer players.

Fans in the stands

The attendance figure for the match was 185, according to the official post-game scoresheet. But I’m not sure if there were that many people within a one-mile radius of the stadium, and that includes the players and game officials participating in the match. Things weren’t much better the week before.

By Heather Sprigler

The University News

October 27, 2008

UMKC’s five seniors were recognized for their hard work on Saturday with a presentation at halftime. Perhaps most recognizable is the Coleman family. Levi Coleman had his brother Brendan Thomas and his parents Dwight and Linda (above left to right) present at the Saturday match. At least one member of the Coleman family has been present for all of UMKC’s home games this season even though they live four hours away in Tulsa, Okla.

Only 124 showed up for UMKC’s match against the University of Central Arkansas the previous Saturday. And although the Kangaroos did draw 455 fans for their annual match against Rockhurst University, a considerable amount of those people were rooting for the Hawks, as they share their home field with UMKC. But three weeks ago, 315 rowdy supporters filed into the stands for the Kangaroos’ homecoming game with IUPUI.

Levi’s parents are both noble public servants. Dwight Coleman works for Direct TV, but also spends much of his time working as Assistant Pastor at their church. Linda Coleman is a fifth grade teacher at Jones Elementary School.

Student groups yelled and chanted and noisy horns blared from the throng. People in attendance were a part of the spectacle. The UMKC cheerleaders even showed up.

Levi is the youngest of the eight children Dwight and Linda have. He used to play for Florida International in Miami before he came to play soccer for UMKC.

This show of support was the product of simple promotion. The game was treated as a homecoming event and was advertised as such.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

UMKC soccer, off to their third best start ever, suffers in attendance because the student body is not aware of its existence. The obvious remedy would be to treat every home game like a homecoming event. Unfortunately, the Roos have only one game remaining at Bourke Field this year. It just makes me wonder if it could have been handled differently. If the UMKC Athletics Web site can engineer full-page pop ups to hawk basketball season tickets and golf tournament sign ups, it certainly could have done more to bring attention to university’s most successful sports program, as well as other competitive sports teams. Several years ago, game day placards were posted at various campus locations advertising the team, time, and place of a UMKC Athletics event. In hindsight, something like this could have directed students to their school’s soccer locale which is located within walking distance of the campus. Accessibility to the team was, and continues to be difficult during UMKC’s multitude of away games this season. Some of the games have been televised online, albeit through an exorbitant fee for most college students. Could these games have been made available at an on-campus student venue for mass viewing? I realize it’s easy for me to complain about an area not within the realm of my expertise and that UMKC has an abbreviated seven-game home schedule this season. And I do think getting students in the stands will be much easier once the new on-campus soccer stadium is built. But what the future holds does little to affect the impressions of those parents who walked out onto the field with their sons at halftime last Saturday.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

The soccer field and stadium will be fully lighted, with an artificial turf surface surrounded by a four-lane, noncompetitive training and recreation track. A support building will house locker rooms, coaching offices and concessions. “We are very pleased to be part of such a strong design-build team,” said Radd C. Way, president of Weitz. “The new soccer complex will help strengthen the link between the UMKC campus activities and the greater Kansas City community.”

To reach Kevin Collison, call 816-234-4289 or send e-mail to kcollison@kcstar. com.

Kangaroos outlast Bears 1-0 By David Cordill

The University News

November 3, 2008

The UMKC men’s soccer team finished its 2008 home schedule on a perfect note, prevailing in a cold war over Missouri State University 1-0 last Tuesday at Bourke Field. By virtue of the win, the Kangaroos kept an unblemished home record of 7-0 for the season, and moved their overall record to 9-4-2 (3-1 Summit League). “It was a close, tough game,” UMKC Head Coach Rick Benben said. “It was hard for either team to get clear chances.” With his team coming out on top seven times out of its eight previous matches, Benben said his team is making him anxious for all the right reasons. “Last season I used to stay awake at night worrying about our team not performing,” Benben said. “Now I can’t sleep because I can’t wait for the next game.” On a chilly night, where the temperature dipped into the 30’s during the second frame, the Kangaroos battled against a game group of tireless Bears for the full 90 minutes.

dcordill@unews.com

UMKC hires designer, builder for soccer stadium By Kevin Collison

The Kansas City Star

Refusing to quit, Missouri State (5-8-4) kept the outcome in doubt until the final whistle. Early on, effective marking by the Bear’s defenders frustrated the Roos, but senior forwards Caleb Mitchell and Brian Harris had several chances at the net during a brief flurry in the 22nd minute.

October 28, 2008

Neither man could find the target, however, as Mitchell’s shots were well defended and Harris’ ball sailed high over the crossbar.

The University of Missouri-Kansas City has hired two companies to design and build its new $7.4 million soccer stadium and recreational facility scheduled to open late next summer.

Meanwhile, UMKC defenders John David Hernandez, junior, and sophomores Chris Markey, Matt Kopsky and Brian Quintana were intermittently racing back to their own end to cut off Missouri State’s fast-breaking attacks.

Weitz Co. and DLR Group have the contract for the 850-seat Stanley H. Durwood Soccer Stadium to be built east of Cherry Street and along 51st Street. Construction is expected to begin this fall and completion is set for Aug. 14, in time for the start of the men’s and women’s 2009 soccer season.

The match was well into the second half before the Kangaroos broke the stalemate.

The facility is being designed to NCAA Division I standards, while at the same time providing opportunities for intramural sports for students living on campus. It’s part of a $350 million master plan for upgrading the campus launched by UMKC in 2007. “The soccer stadium relates to our Division I athletes and growing our athletic programs,” said Bob Simmons, assistant vice chancellor for facilities. “The recreational field part applies to our growing on-campus population.” The Stanley H. Durwood Foundation contributed $5 million to the project in April.

Harris’ goal, an adept knee-high boot in the 76th minute on a give and go from freshman forward Diego Rojas, found the netting near the right post and gave UMKC a 1-0 lead. “I played the ball off the defender and put it over his left shoulder,” Harris said. The eventual gamewinner was Harris’ fourth tally in two games. He leads the Roos in goals scored, with eleven on the season. Clinging to the one-goal advantage, the Kangaroos were challenged several times down the stretch by the Bears, who kept UMKC’s defenders on alert for the duration of the match.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

But the Kangaroos were able to hang tough and preserve the result. After the game, junior defender John David Hernandez said his team had been up to the test. “It was a great team effort,” he said. “We were in good shape because we work hard in practice every day. It was cold out there but we just fought through it. It feels good, especially over a Missouri Valley [Conference] team.” Harris said his team’s abilities to stay calm and focused were key factors in the win. “They were a good solid team,” he said about the Bears. “I’m glad we didn’t get upset that they wouldn’t let us attack like we wanted to, otherwise we would have lost patience.” Benben noted the performances of Quintana, Rojas and freshman midfielder Sean Butler. “Diego, Butler and Quinti have been outstanding,” he said. “They were three primary guys off the bench.” Sophomore goalkeeper Ken Cooper recorded his fourth shutout of the year for the Kangaroos. He finished with three saves on the evening. In spite of the team’s success at home, attendance hit an all-time low for the season with an official total of 85 according to the post-game box score. The match marks UMKC’s final scheduled regular-season host team appearance at Bourke Field on the campus of Rockhurst University.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

UMKC would come right back in the 82nd minute to tie the score. Junior midfielder Bryan Perez chested down a ball from senior midfielder Miguel Rodrigues’ corner kick and beat out several defenders for his ninth goal of the season. But Centenary, albeit shorthanded after the 95:13 mark, would prevail on the day for the unlikely triumph. Benben said the Kangaroos had their share of opportunities but could not convert. “We just didn’t get the types of chances we needed,” he said. “In the end we didn’t get the roll or the bounce of the ball. But you’ve got to give Centenary credit. They hung in and made the plays they needed to make to win. We obviously would have liked to have won today but it wasn’t in the cards.” Benben said by no means did his team look past the statistically inferior Gents in order to prepare for their upcoming game against Oakland, next week. “It would be unfair to say that to the kids,” he said. “Soccer is a cruel game. I don’t feel like we overlooked them at all.”

dcordill@unews.com

ROO DROPPINGS David Cordill

The University News

The team plans to play its home games at the soon-to-be-constructed Stanley H. Durwood Soccer Stadium at UMKC in 2009.

November 3, 2008

dcordill@unews.com

Senior Brian Harris, forward for the UMKC men’s soccer team, was named Summit League Offensive Player of the Week, Oct. 27. This marks the third time Harris has received the honor this season.

Cruel defeat surprises Roos

Harris recorded his first career hat trick during a 3-1 victory over conference foes Oral Roberts University Oct. 25.

By David Cordill

Harris a three-time honoree

“It’s a great feeling to have this happen three times in a season,” Harris said, “especially after not getting it at all last year. It’s really an honor, but without the effort of the team I wouldn’t get this opportunity.”

The University News

November 3, 2008

At a time when they needed a convincing win over a lesser conference opponent, the UMKC men’s soccer team faltered, losing 2-1 in double overtime to the Gents of Centenary College Saturday afternoon in Shreveport, La. Playing one man down in the 104th minute, Centenary (4-8-1; 2-1 Summit League) shocked the Roos when freshman midfielder Aaron Bergman stroked his first goal of the year in a one-on-one situation against UMKC sophomore goalkeeper Ken Cooper. The loss, the Kangaroos’ second in five Summit League matchups, sheds some doubt on the team’s postseason future. With a log jam of conference teams vying for the four allotted league championship seeds, UMKC (9-5-2; 3-2 Summit League) would be best served to win their final match against Summit League leading Oakland University next Saturday in Rochester, Mich. “We just missed a bunch of chances,” UMKC Head Coach Rick Benben said. “And, being a man up, we obviously weren’t happy giving up a goal that way.” The Gents lost midfielder John McHugh on consecutive yellow cards in the 92nd and 96th minutes, and were forced to play with only 10 players through the remainder of regulation and overtime.

Harris currently leads the Roos with 11 goals on the year. He is ranked fourth alltime among UMKC scorers, and is just two goals shy of the Kangaroos’ single season record. With his next tally, Harris will tie Mike Anderson’s historic mark of 12 regular season goals set in 1996.

Late goal trips UMKC soccer Despite loss, team headed for Summit League Championship By David Cordill

The University News

November 10, 2008

In a match with post-season implications on the line, the UMKC men’s soccer team was on the short end of a 2-1 result Saturday afternoon against the Summit League top dogs from Oakland University in Rochester, Mich.

Although the Kangaroos recorded six shots on goal through the first 70 minutes, the Gents would get on the board first via freshman Connor Adams’ effort at the 77:41 mark.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Oakland midfielder Tom Catalono scored twice. His 89th minute game-winner gave the conference-leading Golden Grizzlies the top seed in the Summit League Championships next weekend. “The game was pretty even,” said UMKC Head Coach Rick Benben. “We really had defensive lapses on both goals. It was a tough loss but it was really good to play against them.” The Kangaroos took an early 1-0 lead on senior midfielder Levi Coleman’s unassisted strike in the 30th minute. The goal was Coleman’s third of the year. Catalono responded with tallies at the 32:59 mark and at 88:22 for the Golden Grizzlies. Benben said he was forced to sit junior midfielder Bryan Perez after a yellow card in the 10th minute for fear of losing him during the Summit League Championships. He said the move probably had an impact on the game for the Roos. Perez, who Benben said was “arguably the best player on our team,” was cautioned at the 9:15 mark and recorded only 13 minutes of playing time. Although UMKC (9-6-2; 3-3) didn’t get the victory in its final regular season match, they still qualified for the post season tournament as the third seed. The Roos will face second-seeded Western Illinois University this Friday at 1 p.m. Oakland University (13-4-0; 5-1), the host team of the Summit League tourney, matches up against fourth-seeded IUPUI in their first-round game.

Stadium with the winners advancing to meet on Sunday, Nov. 16. For more info go to Missouri Women’s Soccer. Go Tigers!!! The UMKC Kangaroos are the 3rd seed in the Summit League men’s soccer tournament. The tournament will be held Nov. 14 and 16 in Rochester, Mich., with the champion earning an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Go Roos!!! The Park University Men’s Soccer team moved up one spot in this week’s NAIA Men’s Soccer Top 25 Coaches Poll without even playing a game last week. The Pirates were No.10 in last week’s poll receiving 465 votes, but this week moved up one spot to No. 9 receiving 477 votes. The Pirates are 10-2-3 on the season, falling only to now No. 1 Lindsey Wilson and now No. 8 Bellevue University. No 2 seed Park University men’s soccer team will take the field this Friday, November 14 at 5:00 p.m. against Westminster College (Utah) in the NAIA National Qualifying Tournament. For more info visit Park Athletics. Kansas City Kansas Community College soccer played in the Region VI playoffs to qualify for the National Championship and won the quarterfinal game 5-1 vs Cloud CC. Reon Thomas scored 3 goals to lead the way. The KCKCC Blue Devil’s advanced to the semifinal game vs. #2 Barton. KCKCC carried the game and had a 1-0 lead until the 85th minute when a questionable PK call gave Barton a goal. Momentum was lost and so was the game 2-1.

Tigers, Kangaroos and Pirates start well in post season

While acknowledging Oakland’s front running status, Benben also seemed excited for all of the other teams involved in the tournament.

By Thad Bell

“You certainly have to look at Oakland as the favorite,” he said. “But you are also looking at three other teams with really good seasons. I think it’s going to be a really good thing.”

November 15, 2008

dcordill@unews.com

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

backpost.net

University of Missouri Women, UMKC and Park university men all won their first round games on Friday. Missouri 2 – 0 Evansville

Tigers, Kangaroos, Pirates and Devils, Oh my... By Thad Bell

backpost.net

November 13, 2008

Lots of good college action lately. University of Missouri Women’s soccer team won the Big 12 championship in San Antonio Sunday. No. 15 Missouri soccer team (15-5-1. 7-3-0) claimed the Big 12 tournament with a 1-0 win over No. 10 Colorado (14-4-4, 6-2-2). Senior captain Mo Redmond scored in the sixth minute and the Missouri defense shutout the Buffaloes. Two Tigers earned team of the week selections for their performances in the Big 12 Tournament. Junior goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore was named by Soccer America and senior defender Kat Tarr was chosen to Top Drawer Soccer’s best eleven. The Missouri women will play Evansville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers, the four-seed in their region, were selected as one of 16 host sites for the first and second rounds. Illinois and Memphis complete the group. opening round matches will be played on Friday, Nov. 14 at Walton

Michelle Collins and Candace Ruff each scored a goal in the first half to give Missouri a first-round victory over Evansville and send them through to Sunday’s regional championship game. Mizzou totaled 28 shots on the night, 16 of them in the first half. With the win the Missouri women will advance to the regional championship match on Sunday (Nov. 16). The Tigers will face the University of Illinois who earned their spot in the title game by defeating Memphis, 1-0, in double overtime. Sunday’s match will begin at 1:00 p.m. CST in Walton Stadium. The NCAA has awarded video streaming rights to the University of Missouri, allowing the Mizzou Athletic Department to stream this weekend’s matches worldwide. The free stream, which will include a manned camera following the action from Walton Stadium, may be found on Mizzou’s NCAA Soccer Central page. UMKC 1 – 0 Western Illinois Sophomore keeper Ken Cooper made 9 saves as the Roos were outshot 15 – 9 by Western Illinois. The big hero in the double overtime game was Bryan Perez who would hit paydirt in the 108th minute. A WIU foul 20 yards from goal set up a dangerous free kick opportunity for UMKC. Brian Quintana touched the ball to Perez who onloaded a low shot for the game winner. The Kangaroos will face regular-season champion and top seed Oakland in the championship match on Sunday. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT) with live stats (free) and streaming video (fee) available at the tournament website. Park University 2 – 0 Westminster College

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

Senior James Katajwa provided both goals as the Pirates fought through rain, wind and below freezing wind chill to defeat the Westminster Griffons. Both goals came in the second half as Park out shot their opponents 10 – 6. With two goals from senior James Katajwa, the Park University men’s soccer team withstood the cold and rain to defeat Westminster College (Utah), 2-0, Friday night. Host school Bellevue University also won its game on Friday by a score of 1-0. The Bruins took down the University of Great Falls (Mont.) in overtime. The Pirates and Bruins will play Saturday, November 15, at 6:00 p.m. at Tranquility Park in Omaha for the championship of the National Qualifying Tournament. The winner of the match tomorrow will earn an automatic bid into the First Round of the NAIA National Tournament. More UMKC news… With 11 goals and four assists during the regular season, UMKC men’s soccer player Brian Harris was named The Summit League Offensive Player of the Year on Thursday. Harris, a senior forward collected the Offensive Player of the Year award after leading The Summit League in goals and points (26). His 0.65 goals per game are good for 26th in the nation and his 1.53 points per game rank him 27th. The Edwardsville, Ill., native received the league’s offensive player of the week award on three separate occasions and recorded a hat trick earlier this season helping UMKC defeat league foe Oral Roberts. Harris was also named to the All-League First Team for his exceptional offensive efforts this season.

Roos advance in Rochester Semi-finals By David Cordill

The University News

November 17, 2008

The third-seeded UMKC men’s soccer team advanced to the Summit League Championship game with dramatic flair, escaping the conference tournament’s first round with a 1-0 overtime victory over the second-seeded Western Illinois Leathernecks Friday afternoon in Rochester, Mich. “Obviously, we’re ecstatic,” Kangaroos Head Coach Rick Benben said. “We understand our NCAA tournament begins today, so we’ll enjoy this for the next couple of hours, or so.” The win set up a match with top-seeded Oakland University on Sunday. The winner advances to the NCAA College Cup tournament. Sophomore goalkeeper Ken Cooper was a big factor in the match, notching a game-high nine saves on the day. “He made some big saves for us,” Benben said. “He was awesome.” The Kangaroos pressed early on but came up empty. Senior forward Brian Harris sent a couple of shots wide of the mark in the game’s first 10 minutes.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

The teams went into the intermission deadlocked at 0-0, with Western Illinois having the advantage on chances, outshooting UMKC 6-2. The Kangaroos opened up the second half with a high effort from Perez. Senior defender Garret Guthrie sent an errant shot at the Leatherneck net in the 53rd minute and senior forward Caleb Mitchell’s attempt was blocked in the 76th minute. Western Illinois put together a pair of tries in the late going, but Jona Andrade’s shot was captured by Cooper and Luke Greenwell’s effort was stymied by a UMKC defender. The Kangaroos had a chance in the 89th minute with their first shot on goal, but Harris’s would- be game-winner found the mitts of Leatherneck goalkeeper Stephen Paterson instead. With the scoreless stalemate still intact, the match went into extra periods, marking the sixth time this season the Roos have gone into additional frames. Neither team scored in the first 10-minute extra session, although the Leathernecks sent three shots at Cooper, who notched his seventh save on Daryl Odom’s attempt in the 93rd minute. The stingy Cooper began the second overtime with his eighth snare of the match at the 103:13 mark. On the counter attack, Perez’ ball went wide. But he was on target the next time. Taking a pass from sophomore midfielder John Bayron Sosa after a UMKC free kick, Perez planted a ball towards the left post for the golden goal at the 107:45 mark, his tenth of the season. “It was a great college soccer game,” Benben said. “Both teams stepped up and played really well. Either team could have won.” The sweet triumph was not without a dose of pain for the Kangaroos. Sophomore defender Chris Markey received 21 stitches after colliding with Western Illinois’s Josh Greenwell near the end of the first half. Both players were going up for a head ball. Benben said Markey “still looks pretty” but did not know if he would be available for Sunday’s championship game.

dcordill@unews.com

Kangaroos win crown, advance to the dance Soccer Summit League Championship By David Cordill

The University News

Meanwhile, Western Illinois was doing its best to keep UMKC sophomore netminder Ken Cooper busy. Cooper registered four saves within the 28th minute and recorded five total for the first half.

November 17, 2008

At the same time, the Kangaroos were looking for some offensive spark. They had not put a ball towards the Leatherneck’s net since the 9:13 mark. The situation was made a bit more delicate after junior midfielder Bryan Perez, the Roo’s second leading scorer, received a yellow card near the end of the frame.

First, by virtue of the win, they captured the Summit League Championship tournament crown, their first conference title since 2001.

UMKC’s tension-charged 4-3 shootout victory over top seeded Oakland University was a two-fold triumph for the Kangaroos’ men’s soccer team.

Secondly, and more importantly, the Roos earned a berth in the NCAA College Cup soccer tournament.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

UMKC sophomore goalkeeper Ken Cooper made seven saves, including two vital shootout grabs, and the Kangaroos converted on all four of their penalty kicks in the overtime thriller Sunday afternoon in Rochester, Mich. “They’re very happy and proud like they should be,” UMKC Head Coach Benben said. “Certainly we have a lot of respect for both Oakland and Western Illinois, they’re great teams. But it was a great accomplishment.” The Golden Grizzlies came out with their guns blazing, firing four shots in the first 7:30 of the match. Stefan St. Louis took his first crack at the net 40 seconds into the fray, but UMKC sophomore goalkeeper Ken Cooper was able to sweep up the attempt.The Kangaroos had few chances on offense in the first frame. Until UMKC sophomore midfielder Levi Coleman recorded the team’s first shot on goal (SOG) in the 33rd minute, Oakland had out-blasted the Kangaroos 10-0. Still, the game remained scoreless going into the break. According to Benben, the field condition was a big factor, as the surface was wet due to rain and periods of heavy snow.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

“They all feel great,” Benben said. “It’s just a lot of hard work from our support staff, coaches, and players. It’s tough to get in - there’s only 48 bids. We’re proud to be a part of the field but we also think we’re a good team and we’re going to go as far as we can.” The Roos’ first-round NCAA oppenent will be anounced live on ESPNews (Time Warner Cable Chan. 204-SD/1204-HD) today.

dcordill@unews.com

UMKC soccer team confident heading into NCAA tournament By David Boyce

The Kansas City Star

“Overall the conditions were tough,” he said. “It was really slippery.”

17 November 2008

Cooper came up with his third stop on another nodded ball, this one off the noggin of Sebastian Harris at the 30:11 mark, and then he seized Tom Catalano’s effort several minutes later, giving him four saves for the frame.

Kansas City, Mo. -- Many of the 48 teams in the NCAA men’s soccer tournament have a better pedigree than UMKC. But these Kangaroos know they belong.

Early in the first half, the Kangaroos received their first big break of the match. The Golden Grizzlies’ goalkeeper Steve Clark was slapped with a red card at the 52:10 mark for an illegal tackle outside of the box after taking down Kangaroos’ senior forward Brain Harris. UMKC would play a man up for the remainder of the match and Oakland was forced to employ inexperienced redshirt freshman net minder Mitch Hildebrandt. Undaunted, Oakland showed their mettle. St. Louis, with an opportunity in the box, struck a shorthanded goal at the 58:07 mark to put the Golden Grizzlies up 1-0. But Harris, the newly anointed Summit League Offensive Player of the Year, was quick to equalize for UMKC, banging in his 12th goal of the season on a Coleman assist. He was able to kick the ball through Hildebrandt’s mitts for the gametying tally. “Brian just beat him to the ball and poked it past him,” Benben said. Harris went back to work on Hildebrandt again, directing two more SOGs at the untested goalkeeper through the 76th minute. But the freshman hung tough and salted away both efforts. Cooper preserved the stalemate with his fifth save on Piotr Nowak’s ball in the 86th minute. The match would go to extra periods with the score tied 1-1, marking the second consecutive game in which UMKC had gone into overtime. Neither squad could close the deal in the first session, but Oakland’s Catalano almost ended the match two minutes in. Fortunately for UMKC, his errant missile hit the post. Kangaroos’ senior forward Caleb Mitchell recorded UMKC’s lone shot - it was blocked by a Golden Grizzly defender. The Kangaroos were on the defensive through the second OT, as the understaffed Oakland squad managed four shots, three of which were stopped before reaching Cooper, the other sailing wide of the mark. With the match still even after 110 minutes of frantic soccer, the game would be decided on penalty kicks. For the UMKC Kangaroos, a trip to the NCAA College Cup Championship was on the line. And with successes in all four of their PK’s versus two Cooper snags, the Roos punched their ticket to the Big Dance.

UMKC, 10-6-3, plays at Tulsa, 15-3-3, at 7 p.m. Friday in the first round. It’s just the third time UMKC has advanced to the NCAA tournament — the Kangaroos made it to the second round in 2001 and lost in the first round in 2003. So what gives the Kangaroos confidence that they can compete and beat any of the perennial soccer powers like North Carolina, Indiana or St. Louis? On Sept. 13, UMKC beat then-No. 3 Creighton 1-0, handing the Bluejays their only loss of the season. On Sept. 30, UMKC overcame a 2-0 deficit and beat then-No. 23 Drake 4-3 at home. “To beat teams like that throughout the year gives you confidence for the NCAA tournament,” said UMKC senior Brian Harris, who has tied a school record for goals with 12. “Right now, we are so excited we made it this far. We are not worried about where we play. We played in Michigan in the Summit League championship when there was snow on the ground.” UMKC coach Rick Benben, who has led the Kangaroos to all three of their NCAA tournament appearances, said it’s awesome to be back in after being fairly close the past few years. “We knew the last couple of years we were rebuilding. We expected this season to be pretty good,” Benben said. “We have a really balanced group. “We are not only in a good spot now, but moving forward.”

To reach David Boyce, send e-mail to dboyce@kcstar.com

ROO DROPPINGS By David Cordill

The University News

November 17, 2008

Harris named Summit League Offensive Player of the Year Brian Harris, senior forward for the UMKC men’s soccer team, was named Summit League Offensive Player of the Year Nov. 13. The Edwardsville, Ill. native was also included on Summit League’s All-League First Team roster.

www.umkckangaroos.com

2008 Media Clippings Game 20

UMKC at Tulsa - NCAA Tournament First Rd.

Friday, November 21, 2008 - 7 p.m.

In 2008, Harris was a three-time recipient of the Summit League Offensive Player of the Week honors. After a frustrating 2007 season, where his near misses outnumbered his actual tallies, Harris exploded for 11 goals and four assists this year for the Kangaroos, including a hat trick against Oral Roberts University Oct. 25. He currently leads the league in the goals scored category and in total points with 26. Harris is also ranked 26th in the nation with a 0.65 goals per game average and holds the 27th spot among NCAA Division I schools with a 1.53 goals per game average. Harris is the first UMKC soccer player to garner Player of the Year recognition since Larry Scheller was tabbed for the accolade in 2001.

NCAA Tournament By Mike Kuhn

downthebyline.com

November 17, 2008

Not Wizards related, but locally relevant was today’s draw for the NCAA Tournament. Local school, UMKC advanced to the tournament with a 1-1(4-3) penalty kick win over Oakland. The Kangaroos will be playing at the University of Tulsa in the first round of the tournament on Friday. Should the ‘Roos win that game, they’ll get a very interesting second round match up. The ‘Roos would play the University of Creighton, who UMKC beat earlier this season, the Blue Jays only loss of the season. The other team of note in the tournament, is a team packed with plenty of local players, Drake University. The Bulldogs will be taking on St. Louis University on Friday at SLU. The Bulldogs roster includes 10 players from the KC area. The winner of that match will be heading to Indiana to take on the Hoosiers. Good luck to both the Kangaroos and Bulldogs in the NCAA tournment.

Tulsa, Okla. (Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium)

2nd, Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse! 3rd, Congratulations to UMKC for qualifying for the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer tournament by winning the Summit League tournament last week. The ‘Roos start their tournament quest this Friday at 7 p.m. CT at the University of Tulsa, Ryan Pore’s former school. If they win, they’ll travel to take on Michael Kraus’ former school Creighton next Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. CT. Read about the ‘Roos here then check out the full tournament bracket here. Wizards with a rooting interest in the tournament include: UCLA- Jimmy Conrad, Kevin Hartman, Chance Myers North Carolina- Michael Harrington, Kerry Zavagnin (though he has retired, he’s still part of the team until next year starts) California- Eric Kronberg, Tyson Wahl Ohio State- Roger Espinoza St. Louis- Jack Jewsbury Creighton- Michael Kraus Michigan State- Rauwshan McKenzie Tulsa- Ryan Pore Maryland- Abe Thompson Virginia- Curt Onalfo and Kris Kelderman (former players) George Mason- Kris Kelderman and Dave Tenney (former coaches)

AWARDS: Soccer America Men’s Team of the Week socceramerica.com

November 18, 2008 GOALKEEPER

Ken Cooper (UMKC) – Sophomore made 16 saves in two overtime matches for the Kangaroos, and stopped shot during shootout to give the Roos Summit title over Oakland.

Happy Tuesday By Kyle Rogers

hillcrestroad.blogspot.com

November 18, 2008

Greetings Hillcrest Road followers, glad to be back feeling well and posting earlier in the day. A few notes for you all this morning: 1st, head over to the USSoccer.com’s 2008 Best of U.S. Soccer Awards page to vote for your favorites from the world of U.S. Soccer from this past year. Click on the logo in each category to vote in this category. Since we’re in blogville, up for blog of the year are: -duNord (Bruce McGuire) -Soccer by Ives (Ives Galarcep and, recently added, Dylan Butler) -Soccer Insider (Steven Goff, Washington Post) -Behind the Badge (D.C. United team blog...Hillcrest Road is gunning for this spot next year) -The Offside Rules (S.F.) -Unprofessional Foul -The Red Card (Luis Arroyave, Chicago Tribune) -Goal - The New York Times Soccer Blog -U.S. Men’s National Team Blog (U.S. Soccer) -U.S. Women’s National Team Blog (U.S. Soccer)