Men's soccer ends season on losing note

By: Joseph Rea

Posted: 11/19/08

11/19/08 - The University of Rhode Island men's soccer team completed its season Thursday with a loss to the University of Dayton, 3-2, in the first round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. Sixth-seeded Rhode Island (8-8-3 final record) started the scoring when freshman Erkko Puranen found the back of the net for his eighth goal of the season in the ninth minute.

The goal came off an assist from senior Kedan Crosby. Rhody nearly doubled its lead 20 minutes later when junior Gary Crooks fired a shot that was saved and was nearly put in on the rebound by Puranen.

The third-seeded Flyers (13-4-2) tied the game in the 31st minute and took the lead with a penalty kick in the 40th. Dayton led 2-1 at the break.

"This was a great game to watch," head coach John O'Connor said. "We came to play, and we started out very well."

URI tied the game in the 57th minute on Puranen's second goal. This time it was a pass from Crooks that set him up.

"Erkko [Puranen] had a great game," O'Connor said.

Just 31 seconds after Puranen locked up the score at two, Dayton scored the final goal of the game, holding on for the 3-2 victory.

Rhode Island outshot Dayton 18-11 for the game including 10-4 in the second half. Puranen had seven shots, including three on goal.

With the win, the Flyers advanced to the semifinals to take on second-seeded Temple University.

"[Dayton] had more experience than us," O'Connor said. "The communication could have been better between our players; at times that were most crucial we had some lapses."

Dayton moved on to upset Temple and top-seeded University of Massachusetts at Amherst to win the Atlantic 10 Championship. Despite the first round exit, O'Connor was proud of his team.

"Overall, we accomplished our goal to make the A-10 tournament," he said. "On the season we were inconsistent, but overall we were just inexperienced."

Throughout the season the competition in the Atlantic 10 proved tough for the team, and it showed when the league received three bids to the NCAA tournament.

Dayton, UMass and Saint Louis University received invites to the championship.

URI, however, is already looking ahead to next season.

"Next year we host the A-10 tournament," O'Connor said. "Our guys are hungr. They saw Duquesne [University] watching the tournament played on their home field from the sidelines this season."

Three Rhody players became members of the All-Conference squad: Crosby, Puranen and sophomore Dwayne Williams.

Puranen also made the Atlantic 10 men's soccer All-Championship team and the conference's All-Rookie team.