STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- On October 7, Stony Brook University's men's soccer team fell to UMBC, 2-0, and dropped to 1-9-2 on the season. The Seawolves have not lost since and on Sunday night at LaValle Stadium completed its turnaround with a 2-0 win over the Retrievers to claim the 2009 America East Men's Soccer Championship at LaValle Stadium. The Seawolves will learn their NCAA fate on Monday at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN News.
Raphael Abreu and Leonardo Fernandes scored second-half goals and Anthony Rogic made a pair of saves, including one on a penalty kick, to help the Stony Brook capture its second title in five years. Rogic, who became the third goalkeeper in America East history to hold opponents scoreless in the league tournament, was named Most Outstanding Player.
The game was scoreless at halftime but only because of Rogic's heroics. The freshman from Boonton, N.J. stonewalled UMBC's Levi Houapeu, the league's Midfielder of the Year, on a penalty kick with 9:49 left in the half. SBU had only one good opportunity to score in the period, but UMBC's Phil Saunders made a diving stop to his left to stop a Raphael Abreu shot midway through the frame.
UMBC (14-6-0) would go a man down midway through the second half when UMBC Dave Vaeth picked up his second yellow card. Stony Brook (6-9-4) would capitalize just three minutes later as Abreu took a long feed from Damion Brown and found the back of the net for the first score of the game.
Fernandes, the conference's Rookie of the Year, made the score 2-0 just seven minutes later off a free kick, which sailed by Saunders into the upper corner.
Joining Rogic on the All-Championship team were teammates Damion Brown, Colin Geoghegan and Greg Tinari, UMBC's Andrew Bulls, Levi Houapeu and John Paul Waraksa, University of Hartford's James Stamopolous and Cedomir Tomcic, University of New Hampshire's Chris Banks and Brad Hilton, Binghamton's Kyle Manscuk and Boston University's Samuel Appiah.
2009 America East Men's Soccer Championship
Saturday, November 7 -- Quarterfinals
Game 1: at No. 3 Hartford 2, No. 6 Boston University 1 BOX SCORE
Game 2: No. 5 UMBC 2, at No. 4 Binghamton 1 BOX SCORE
Wednesday, November 11 -- Semifinals
Game 3: UMBC 2, at No. 1 New Hampshire 1 BOX SCORE
Game 4: at No. 2 Stony Brook 0, Hartford 0 BOX SCORE
Sunday, November 15 -- Final
Game 5: at Stony Brook 2, UMBC 0 BOX SCORE