Nov. 11, 2005
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ST. LOUIS -- After defeating Charlotte, 3-1, on Thursday, the Dayton Flyers look to knock off No. 1 seed and host Saint Louis Friday in the Atlantic 10 Championship semifinals.
The Flyers face a club that finished 9-5-3 in the regular season, and shared the conference championship with a 6-1-2 Atlantic 10 record, one game ahead of the Flyers. Dayton is looking to make it to the A-10 final for the fourth time, and first since 2000.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Head Coach Dennis Currier will pick between two senior netminders in goal. Senior Nick Tarkany owns a 0.75 GAA with in 10 starts, with a 6-2-2 record including three shutouts. Senior Steve Ladislaw is 5-3-1 on the season with three shutouts and a 1.17 GAA.
TERRY TWINKLES THE TWINE
Senior midfielder Terry Alvino tacked on the third goal versus Charlotte for his sixth goal of the year, with a blast to the lower right side. He has scored twice this season on long shots over the keeper and just under the crossbar. Against Michigan, he scored off a blast from just over midfield that knucked under the crossbar. He also scored from 30 yards against Fordham. Alvino converted his only penalty kick opportunity of the season, against Xavier. His other two goals were headed in off set pieces. The D-II All-America selection last season has 14 goals in his career.
DARR & DEVIN
UD central defenders Nate Darr and Devin McKenney have held down a Flyer backline that has six shutouts on the year and have held opponents to the second-fewest shots on goal per game (4.7) in the Atlantic 10. The Flyers were third in goals allowed, goals against average and third in shutouts. They are joined on the Flyers' backline on the outside by Dan Hartwig and Ian Mulligan. Darr was a First Team All-Conference selection and scored the game-winning goal versus Charlotte.
OMAR'S OFFENSE
Senior forward Omar Jarun had scored in seven of his last eight games entering the Temple match. He entered the A-10 Tournament second in the conference in goals scored (nine), third in points (25), and tied for second in assists (seven). A Second Team All-Atlantic 10 pick last season, Jarun was named to the preseason All-Conference team. Jarun transferred to UD after his sophomore season at the University of Memphis and has scored nine goals in each of his two seasons at UD. He now has 26 goals in his career.
TWO OR BUST
Tallying two or more goals in a game almost always gets the Flyers a win. UD is 56-5-5 (.886) since the start of 2000, including 9-0-1 this season. Of the Flyers' five losses in 2005, four are 1-0 losses, including a match against then-No. 14 Missouri State.
"GOAL"-WIG
Freshman Joe Olwig made his first start at the Dayton Marriott Flyer Classic, and scored his first career goal in UD's win over Marshall. Olwig added two goals in UD's 6-2 blowout of Evansville. His fourth goal of the season came in UD's 2-0 win against St. Bonaventure, and was the eventual game-winner. The St. Louis native picked up an assist Thursday versus Charlotte.
CURRIER CLOSES IN ON 200 WINS
Dennis Currier, in his first year at the helm of Dayton soccer, can record the 200th win in his collegiate soccer coaching career with a win over Saint Louis. Fitting, since Currier got his start in the collegiate coaching ranks across the street from SLU at Harris-Stowe State College. Currier racked up a 126-34-5 record at the NAIA school before moving on to D-II Incarnate Word. He posted a 62-15-7 mark at UIW and now has a career record of 199-54-15.
THE HIGHEST LEVEL
Former Flyer All-American Chris Rolfe was named to the US National Team for Saturday's friendly at Scotland. Rolfe earned the call up by head coach Bruce Arena as one of three first time US National players. Earlier this month, Arena told the New York Times of his desire to inject more youth into the US roster. Rolfe is one of three healthy forwards at Arena's disposal for the match against Scotland. The Flyers have plans to watch Saturday morning's 11 a.m. match as a team.
SHOW ME
The Flyers have five players on their roster from the St. Louis area, all of whom made the trip for the A-10 Championship. Starting defenders Dan Hartwig (St. Louis University High School) and Ian Mulligan (SLUH), starting midfielder Terry Alvino (Christian Brothers), and one of Thursday's starting forward Joe Olwig (Christian Brothers) are all from the area, as is freshman Jeff Boyer (Rockwood Summit).
TARK THE SHARK
St. Bonaventure and Fordham needed the Jaws of Life to break into the UD net behind senior goalkeeper Nick Tarkany. The Flyer goalkeeper posted his first two career shutouts. The Dayton defense sunk its teeth into the two A-10 opponents from New York State, allowing just three shots on goal. The Flyer D followed that up with a 4-0 shutout of Xavier the following weekend. The senior netminder is second in the A-10 in goals against average (0.76) and first in save percentage (.833).
HERE'S TO YOU, Dasan Robinson
Dasan Robinson has been everywhere for the Flyers in his four seasons: forward, defender, now midfielder. Playing in the midfield this season, Robinson is third in the A-10 in assists this season with seven helpers. He's also scored three goals on the year: in the season opener versus Cincinnati and against La Salle. He ranks fourth in the A-10 in assists in conference games and has tallied assists in four of his last five games. Robinson hasn't forgotten how to play defense, either. UD has out-scored opponents 36-17 with Robinson in the lineup, including 18-9 in conference play. Robinson got the Flyers on the board early in the first half versus Charlotte Thursday.
LUBO THE BULGARIAN ALL-AMERICAN
Senior forward Lubomir Bogdanov saw his promising season come to an abrupt end after just five starts. He appeared in eight games before injuring his knee -- while scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime versus George Washington. Bogdanov was a three-time All-American at Incarnate Word before transferring to UD for his senior campaign, following coach Currier. Bogdanov was UD's leading scorer at the time of the injury with four goals and two assists in 481 minutes. He tallied his first goal as a Flyer in the season opener, the game-winner against Cincinnati. Minutes before his final goal of the season, Bogdanov tallied the game-tying goal to force the overtime period.
FOUR FLYERS EARN ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS
Senior forward Omar Jarun and senior defender Nate Darr were named to the All-Atlantic 10 First Team Wednesday, and senior midfielder Terry Alvino earned a spot on the Second Team. Senior defender Dan Hartwig was named to the All-Academic Team. Jarun had scored in seven of his last eight games entering last Sunday's match at Temple match. He enters this weekend's A-10 Tournament second in the conference in goals scored (nine), third in points (25), and tied for second in assists (seven). A Second Team All-Atlantic 10 pick last season, Jarun leads UD in all three categories. Jarun was named to the preseason All-Conference team and has scored nine goals in each of his two seasons at UD. Darr was a Second Team All-Atlantic 10 pick last season, and earned a spot on the First Team this season for his play as a center back on a defense that posted the second-best goals against average in the conference. The Flyers out-scored opponents 31-14 with Darr in the lineup, including 18-9 in A-10 play, and allowed the second-fewest shots on goal per game while posting six shutouts and allowing multiple goals in just four games. Offensively, Darr has chipped in three assists in 16 games. Alvino picks up Second Team honors in his first year as a Flyer. Alvino transferred to UD from Division II Incarnate Word where he was an All-America selection last season. The defensive center midfielder, Alvino scored in five goals on the season, including three goals in conference games. He attempted just 12 shots on goal and tallied game-winning goals over Fordham, Xavier and Wright State. Senior defender Dan Hartwig placed on the All-Academic Team. Hartwig boasts a 3.449 GPA in Pre-medicine. Hartwig has played 1,540 of a possible 1,717 minutes this season in the back for the Flyers, helping the UD defense post a 0.94 goals against average, which is third-best in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
HARTWIG NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
University of Dayton senior defender Dan Hartwig was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV First Team and earned a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America ballot. Hartwig boasts a 3.449 GPA in Pre-medicine. Hartwig has played 1,540 of a possible 1,717 minutes this season in the back for the Flyers, helping the UD defense post a 0.94 goals against average, which is third-best in the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Flyers' defense has posted six-shutout victories and held opponents to the second fewest shots on goal per game of any A-10 team (4.6). Dayton has out-scored opponents by 14 goals, 33-17 through 17 games this season. On October 7, Hartwig tallied an assist on the first goal in UD's 4-3, come from behind win over George Washington. The Flyers have now placed a men's soccer player on the Academic All-District team for six straight years, starting in 2000 with R.J. Kaszuba. Kaszuba, along with Dan Bestic (2001) and Tye Stebbins (2004) went on to earn a spot on the Academic All-America Teams.
THE NEXT LEVEL
Former Flyer Chris Rolfe was the runner up for the 2005 Gatorade MLS Rookie of the Year Award. The 29th pick of the 2005 SuperDraft led the Chicago Fire in goal scoring in the regular season with eight, earning him the Budweiser Golden Boot Award. The Fire fell in the semifinals of the MLS Cup playoffs. Rolfe scored both goals in a 2-1 Fire win in front of his friends and family in Columbus against the Crew. He also picked up a goal in a friendly against European superpower A.C. Milan. Rolfe was signed to the senior roster and awarded a new contract, yet still finds time to make it back for UD games. Rolfe is the fourth Flyer to play in the MLS, with Denny Clanton (Chicago Fire, 2004) and Mark Schulte (Tampa Bay Mutiny, 1997; Columbus Crew, 2005) and now Michael Nsien. Nsien was signed by the MLS' Los Angeles Galaxy. Nsien, who played for UD from 1999-2001 earned his spot on the Galaxy's developmental roster after he appeared in two games for the Galaxy reserves during the 2005 season (both starts) and played a total of 180 minutes.
HOME COOKIN'
With UD's 4-0 win in the home finale against Xavier, the Flyers are 13-1-1 in the last 15 games at Baujan Field. UD is 6-1-1 at home in 2005, and the Flyers were a perfect 7-0-0 at home last season. Dayton is 41-9-2 at Baujan Field since the start of 2000.
DAYTON VERSUS SAINT LOUIS
History does not paint a pretty picture for UD's chances versus Saint Louis, as the Flyers have never defeated the Billikens in their history, trailing the all-time series, 0-10-0. However, the last meeting between UD and SLU came over a decade a go, in 1994. Since then, the Flyers soccer program has undergone drastic changes. The committment from UD to the soccer programs since 1994 has included: a full-time head coach (1995), two full-time assistants (1995), a new soccer-only facility (Baujan Field, 1995), a $2.5 million renovation to that facility (terrace seating, 1999), and a $1.5 million re-surfacing at Baujan Field (TS-II Stabilized Athletic Grass, the same surface the Super Bowl is played on). The result is a Dayton program that had seven 10-win seasons since 1956 through 1994 has seven 10-win seasons in the last nine years, including two Atlantic 10 Championships and NCAA Play-In appearances.
NCAA SELECTION SHOW
The NCAA Tournament field will be announced on Monday, at 4:00 p.m. on ESPNEWS.
NEXT TIME OUT
Should the Flyers advance, UD would play for the Atlantic 10 Championship on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 2:00 p.m. Central. Dayton would be the underdog versus either Duquesne or Rhode Island, who meet in Friday's other semifinal. The 2005 Atlantic 10 Championship final match can be seen on CSTV tape delay.
