Box Score Box score

The Northeastern men's soccer team lost a heart-breaker to Delaware on Thursday in the CAA Quarterfinal match-up despite an inspired defensive effort from the Huskies and keeper Oliver Blum. The tie was decided on penalty kicks, with the Blue Hens edging the Huskies, 4-3.

The first half proved an exciting one, with chances at both ends, but it was Northeastern that had the better of the play and almost got off to a flying start in the contest. Inside the first 30 seconds of the half, Don Anding made a great forward run to the left side of the box and turned the ball back towards the center. His pass found an unmarked Mike Kennedy arriving in the box, but Kennedy contrived to sky his first-time effort over the bar from six yards out.

A few minutes later, Delaware stand-out Evans Frimpong dribbled through a few challenges and created an opportunity for himself, but his shot from 20 yards out was wide of the post.

The next chance for the Huskies came in the tenth minute after Anding and Dante Marini played a clever one-two passing combination. Marini's return pass to Anding found the junior one-on-one with keeper Kris Devaux, but the Blue Hens netminder turned the shot away. The rebound bounced to Kennedy on the right, who played the ball right back in for Anding, but once more Devaux was able to make the save, pushing the ball out for a corner kick.

The game changed for the Huskies when they were forced into a change in the 33rd minute. A collision between Devaux and Anding resulted in Anding's removal from the contest, with Ricardo McDonald coming on in his place.

After the first half ended scoreless, the second half saw Delaware get on the front foot, creating multiple chances off extended pressure. In the 50th minute, the Blue Hens almost went in front. A loose ball in the Husky penalty area fell to Gimenez who put a shot on goal that eluded Blum and everyone else in the box, before finally bouncing off the far post.

At the other end a minute later, Marini played a great ball to McDonald running through the right side of the Blue Hen defense. McDonald's resulting shot scraped just over the bar, in what was Northeastern's best chance of the half.

The rest of the second stanza saw Blum standing tall in net, making saves from a John Dineen header and a Gimenez effort off a free kick as Delaware piled on the pressure. The Northeastern defense was equal to everything thrown at it however, and the half ended scoreless, sending the game into overtime.

In the first extra time period the Blue Hens picked up where they left off in regulation, forcing saves from Blum throughout. The Northeastern keeper held a Kyle Nuel chance from in close very well, then minutes later dove low to his left to keep out a Gimenez chance.

With the game still scoreless after the first ten minutes of extra time, the contest moved into a second overtime frame. With six minutes left, the task for Northeastern got even harder after McDonald was shown a straight red card. However, Delaware was unable to capitalize on the advantage and the game moved into a penalty kick session.

The first shooter for both teams missed, with Blum saving Darren O'Connor's effort and Top Phataraprasit putting his shot over the bar. After Delaware and Northeastern traded a save and three conversions apiece through the first five shooters, and Prince Narty scored in round six for the Blue Hens it was up to Karl Rumph for the Huskies. Rumph's spot kick sent Devaux the wrong way, but the Blue Hens keeper managed to get a toe to the ball to keep it out, winning the game for Delaware.

The game is officially recorded as a tie, putting Northeastern's final record at 10-6-3.