Box Score
The sixth-seeded Cougars of Medgar Evers College eliminated the third-seeded Baruch College Bearcats on penalty kicks (4-3) in a CUNY Athletic Conference quarterfinal match played Wednesday night at the Met Oval in Queens.
Both teams played a scoreless 90 minutes of regulation and a pair of 10 minute overtime periods, but needed penalty kicks to decide who would advance to the semifinal round of the conference tournament.
Orando Brewster settled the result by scoring a penalty kick in the seventh round, followed by Baruch’s ensuing attempt that was saved to help the Cougars advance to the semifinals on Saturday with a 2:00 pm match against second-seeded York College.
“This was a very tough match but my players played their hearts out tonight,’ said Medgar Evers Head Coach Stanley Harmon. “Despite trailing in the early stages of the penalty kicks, our goalkeeper (John Ajirotutu) kept us in the match to give us every shot to win. I am very proud of my players.”
The Cougars played a very solid match with as many as seven different players recording at least one shot this evening.
Junior goalkeeper John Ajirotutu finished a heroic effort with nine saves.
The Baruch Bearcats dominated stretches of the second half and had a goal cleared off the line in the 75th minute, but Medgar Evers kept their defense intact and withstood 13 shots and nine corner kicks by Baruch in the second half.
“We gave it our best tonight and left it on the field against a very determined Medgar Evers team,” said Baruch Head Coach Ranford Champagnie. “We had our opportunities but could not finish them. The loss stings but it does not take away from a solid season we had with such a very young roster.”
PENALTY KICKS:
(1) MEC - Saved; Baruch - Goal
(2) MEC - Over Crossbar; Baruch - Saved
(3) MEC - Saved; Baruch - Over Crossbar
(4) MEC- Goal; Baruch - Goal
(5) MEC- Goal; Baruch - Saved
* * * (Tied 2-2, More PKs needed)
(6) MEC - Goal; Baruch - Goal
(7) MEC - Goal; Baruch - Saved
Today's CUNYAC Quarterfinal Scores
#1 Hunter 2, #8 City Tech 1 (OT)
#2 York 1, #7 CCNY 0
#6 Medgar Evers 0, Baruch 0 (M.E. advance on PKs, 4-3)
#5 Brooklyn 1, #4 Staten Island 0
