By Benjamin M. Wilson
University of Louisville sophomore goalkeeper Andre Boudreaux helped save the way for the Cardinals into the Big East semifinal round. It came down to penalty kicks for the Cards on Nov. 7 at Cardinal Park.
U of L dominated the first half, as they outshot DePaul University 8-1. Pressure was U of L’s strategy, and, in the first 10 minutes of play, the Cardinals had five corner kicks, compared to DePaul’s zero. Unable to convert any corner kicks into goals, the Cards continued their offensive pressure.
U of L’s hard work paid off in the 14th minute of play. Senior forward Gerardo Chavez scored on an across-the-box pass from senior midfielder Freddie Braun. The goal gave Chavez his second on the season, and an early Cardinal lead.
“I felt very excited,” said Chavez. “I thought I was due for a goal, and it was great to get on top of them so fast.”
Boudreaux was unchallenged by DePaul, with zero saves. With most of the action happening on DePaul’s side, the Cards confronted their goalkeeper, Joe Ferrari, with three shots-on-goal. The Cards forced Ferrari to make two saves.
On paper, Louisville looked to be the dominant force, but that was not the case. Leading DePaul in shots, corner kicks and shots-on-goal, U of L was unable to score another goal in the first half.
“I told our guys that there are days where it doesn’t necessarily go your way,” said head coach Ken Lolla. “We had opportunities that I don’t think we took as good as we should have.”
The second half saw a switch in DePaul’s mindset. DePaul counteracted the Cardinals’ pressure offense by slowing down their game. In the 51st minute of play, DePaul’s Andre Gutierrez scored off a missed shot by Antonio Aguilar, tying the game at 1-1.
Boudreaux had more than gloves on his hands in the second half, and was challenged to make three saves for U of L. Though being pressured by DePaul, Boudreaux would not be faced with another goal until penalty kicks.
The second half came to a close with the Cardinals’ overwhelming the Blue Demons on stats, but with no goals to show for it.
Both overtimes were as uneventful as the second half. U of L’s repeated offensive attack posed no threat to DePaul’s defense. U of L senior midfielder Othaniel Yanez took the only shot-on-goal in both overtimes. As the second overtime came to a close, both the Cardinals and the Blue Demons had to choose players for penalty kicks.
Freshman midfielder Paolo DelPiccolo’s right-side shot scored on Ferrari. Patrick Hopkins took the first shot for the Blue Demons, but was blocked by Boudreaux. The Cardinal goalie felt at home inside the posts.
“I look at it as all the pressure is on the shooter,” said Boudreaux. “I just try to stay relaxed and calm, not letting my emotions get the best of me.”
Next for the Cards was junior forward Mark Knight. His shot sailed straight through Ferrari, giving the Cards a 2-0 on penalty kicks. Mark Plotkin, of DePaul, was able to get one past Boudreaux, making the score 2-1 on penalty kicks. U of L’s senior defensive player, Phil Edginton, was unable to score on Ferrari. Boudreaux saved DePaul’s next shot from Willy Lara. J.T. Murray, junior midfielder for the Cards, nailed his shot past Ferrari; DePaul’s Steffen Vroom answered back with a goal.
Next for the Cards was Braun. His kick sailed high wide right. Having a 3-2 shot advantage over the Blue Demons, Boudreaux had to make a stop for a Louisville victory.
Nathan Feltz took DePaul’s tournament-saving shot, but kicked it instantly into Boudreaux’s arms. Boudreaux’s save gave Louisville the win and advancement into the Big East semifinals, which will be hosted at Dick Dlesk Soccer Stadium in Morgantown, W. Va. on Nov. 13 at 5:30 p.m.
