PSL SOCCER: Michigan Bucks open with 6-0 rout of Jersey Shore

BY DAN DUGGAN

CORRESPONDENT

PONTIAC — Behind a six-goal outburst, the Michigan Bucks opened up the 2012 season Tuesday in fine fashion Tuesday.

The Bucks scored early and often in a 6-0 whitewash of the Jersey Shore Boca at Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, as part of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The 6-0 shutout puts the Bucks into the-second-round match on May 22 in Pittsburgh, when they take on the USL Pro (D-III) Pittsburgh Riverhounds.  The Bucks and Riverhounds last met in round two of the 2006 US Open Cup when the Bucks upset the professional team, 2-0, in a thrilling match at Rochester Stoney Creek High School.

This year’s version of the Bucks Open Cup roster was new to Bucks fans, but the attacking style they are accustomed to was the same. Michigan came out attacking from the opening whistle and pounded the Boca goal relentlessly throughout the first half.

The star of the first stanza was Jersey Shore goalkeeper Bobby Feeny, who faced 23 shots in the first 45 minutes (40 overall) and made several point-blank saves in keeping the Bucks off the scoreboard for the first 30 minutes of play.  The Bucks inability to put the ball in the back of the net became a bit easier in the 17th minute when Jersey Shore defender Nick Tarquino was sent off for a straight red card when he brought down Bucks forward Stefan St. Louis, who was heading in alone from the top of the box.

The Bucks finally broke the deadlock when a pair of former Oakland University Grizzlies connected to bring the crowd to their feet.  St. Louis smacked home a close-range rocket to the top of the net after collecting a perfect through ball from former college team mate Tom Catalano in the 31st minute.

Catalano, the Man of the Match, would set up newcomer Nermin Crnkic for his first tally in a Bucks uniform just five minutes later.   In the 38th minute, St. Louis would give the Bucks a 3-0 lead with one of the most bizarre goals ever scored in Bucks history.   After breaking in alone on Feeny after a perfect through ball from Steve Miller, St. Louis would trip over the ball, nutmeg himself and wind end up lying on the turf three yards from goal.  With Feeny unable to collect the ball from underneath the Trinidad striker, St. Louis back heeled the ball into the corner of the goal while rising up from the turf.

Defensively, the Bucks were solid across the back led by PDL veterans Sebby Harris and Kevin Cope. Michigan only yielded nine shots on the evening and goalkeeper Adam Grinwas was forced to make only four saves.  Although most of the night was quiet for the Michigan Wolverines goalie, he did make a couple of key first-half saves to keep Boca off the board in registering his first shutout in a Bucks uniform.

The second half started much more subdued for both teams, with Jersey Shore playing down a man and the Bucks in complete control.  Bucks head coach Gary Parsons made a couple of second half substitutions early bringing in Thomas Schmitt and Ethan Miller to lead the offense and both would figure in the second half scoring.

Schmitt, the University of Akron leading scorer this spring, would set up Catalano for the game’s fourth goal in the 74th minute.

The best goal of the game came six minutes later when Crnkic beat his defender down the flank and found Miller at the top of the box running free.  Miller ripped a left-footed shot into the top corner to make the game 5-0.

Bim Ogunyemi would complete his homecoming party with the nightcap in the 89th minute off a pass from Crnkic to round out the scoring. Ogunyemi left the Bucks to pursue his pro career with the Portland Timbers (MLS) the past two seasons and won a PDL championship with the Timbers U23 team in 2010.

The Bucks will be off on Wednesday before training Thursday and Friday for the PDL season opener on Saturday night against the expansion Chicago Inferno.  The first of eight regular season home games will also be played at Ultimate Soccer Arenas at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at the gate for the match are $10 Adults and $7 Youth (16 and under).  Kids 5 and under are always free to Bucks games. Fans who attended Tuesday’s US Open Cup game can get in for only $3 by showing their game ticket.   Anyone can purchase tickets for the regular presale price of only $6 by going to the Bucks web site at www.buckssoccer.com and clicking the tickets link.

Tags: Men'sSoccer, Michigan Bucks, PSL Men's Soccer, soccer

Category: Campus Clips, Colleges / Other, Michigan Bucks, Most Recently Updated Stories, Prep Wraps, Uncategorized