Nov. 14, 2008

Box Score

PITTSBURGH - Senior Florian DeCamps scored two goals, including the game-winner in overtime to give Dayton a 2-1 win against No. 2 seeded Temple in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Championship at Rooney Field. With the win Dayton improves to 14-4-2 overall, tying a school record for wins in a single season. The Flyers advance to the A-10 Championship final and face No. 1 seeded Massachusetts Sunday at 1 p.m. UD advances to the final for the first time since 1999.

"What a great way to win in overtime. I thought the guys battled really hard," said UD head coach Dennis Currier. "Temple is an excellent team and we knew we were going to have our hands full. We knew in overtime it was going to take a lot heart and passion. Our guys have a lot of character and we found a way to win. We're really excited to go up against UMass on Sunday."

In a very physical match that saw 28 fouls and eight yellow cards, Dayton found the back of the net on both their goals on their bread and butter all season; set pieces - this time on corner kicks.

DeCamps put away the golden goal in the 97th minute on the corner kick service from junior Zach Weiss.

"We haven't won in overtime since 2005. I told the boys just get one chance and you put it away," said Currier. "We had a multiple series of corner kicks and we were able to put that last one away. It feels great to win in OT and we are real excited to play in the A-10 championship on Sunday. We talked about it all year and now were here."

The score was DeCamps ninth of the season and third of the tournament. The First Team A-10 selection has scored both game-winners for the Flyers in the tournament, his sixth game-winner this season.

"It feels amazing to make the team win," said DeCamps. "It was a good performance from the entire team and we haven't won in overtime this season so it feels great. "With UMass there is a big revenge factor since we lost to them last year in the tournamentand," added DeCamps. "We have to give it everything and win this tournament."

Freshman goalkeeper Tyler Picard made a nice stop in the first minute of the first overtime to give DeCamps his shot at the game clincher. He finished with four saves in the match.

The Flyers almost won the game in regulation. In the last five minutes senior Simeon Zapryanov served up a long corner kick and junior AlexTorda headed a ball that Temple keeper Brett Mollon just tipped over the crossbar.

DeCamps scored the first goal of the match for the Flyers. Zapryanov bent a corner kick into the box and DeCamps rose above the Owls defenders and headed the ball to the back of the net in the 25th minute.

Temple (10-5-4) answered late in the second half with the equalizer. J.T. Noone put a square ball in the box and James Suevo finished it in the 72nd minute.

Both squads fired off eight shots in the first 45 minutes, with the Flyers taking two on frames to Temple's one. The Owls, who were on a six-game unbeaten streak going into the match, finished with a slight advantage of 17 shots to Dayton's 15. UD had seven corner kicks compared to three for Temple. Dayton peppered three shots in the overtime period.

Dayton had several nice scoring opportunities in the first half. Senior Joe Olwig redirected a shot just wide in the 24th minute. Junior Alex Torda turned and shot off a rebound that went just wide of the post in the 32nd minute and senior Isaac Kissi had one go off the post in the 39th minute.

The Flyers avenged a 4-2 loss to the Owls (Oct. 31) that snapped UD's school-record 10-game unbeaten streak.