Men's Tournament Quarterfinals Roundup

by Tom Hindle

November 7, 2022

Levonte Johnson had looked for the isolated matchup all game. The crucial one-on-one where he could evade a defender, create space and strike. And for 85 minutes, UNC(m) mostly prevented such a scenario. But in the 86th, Johnson got his moment. Syracuse goalkeeper Russell Shealy launched a pass down field, which Johnson eagerly darted after. He cut left, then picovted onto his right — leaving the defender on his bottom. The finish wasn't easy — two retreating opponents forced him into an awkward, poked thing — but it found the back of the net nonetheless. It was one of many dramatic moments across the first weekend of men's college quarter final play, one that set the tone for something of a chaotic weekend. Here's a look at the madness, in full.

Big Ten

The opening rounds of the Big Ten tournament delivered on the drama. It started in College Park, Maryland, where the Terps were pushed all the way by a resilient Northwestern side. Maryland made it hard on itself, missing two penalties and having another shot cleared off the line thanks to a mis-hit shot. But it eventually found a breakthrough, with freshman Colin Griffith bundling the ball over the line with 15 minutes to play. It was all Maryland would need in a 1-0 win.

That victory set up a semi final matchup with old rivals Indiana. The Hoosiers turned in a solid performance against a dangerous Penn State side. Star midfielder Ryan Wittenbrink scored the game’s only goal in the 36th minute, firing into the bottom corner from outside the box. It was the Hoosiers’ defense that stood out on the day, though, as they didn’t allow a single shot on target against a high scoring Nittany Lions team.

Ohio State and Michigan State played out an equally tight contest. Michigan State set up defensively, happy to cede possession and hit on the break. But Ohio State had just enough quality on the day, with Devyn Etling scoring the winner with 30 seconds remaining — a towering header from just outside the six yard box.

Things only got more tense in the final contest. Rutgers and Wisconsin were caught in a close match back on September 23, and that continued Friday night. There was nothing between the two sides for 110 minutes, with only seven combined shots on target after extra time. Penalties were required to settle things, where Rutgers came out on top.

ACC

The ACC quarterfinals were predictably hectic. There was little to separate Virginia Tech and Wake Forest for 61 minutes, with Virginia Tech dutifully soaking up pressure from the Demon Deacons. But in the 62nd, Wake Forest struck, as Omar Hernandez whipped a free kick into the top corner from 25 yards out — sending the crowd into raptures. Virginia Tech struggled to get anything going from there, and only registered two shots for the remainder of proceedings — eventually falling 1-0.

Pittsburgh perhaps felt slightly hard done by in its 1-0 loss against Virginia. Although the Cavaliers were more clinical, Pittsburgh created more chances and enjoyed longer stretches with the ball. Holden Brown was excellent in goal for Virginia, tallying nine saves, including an impressive double save in the 68th minute.

Syracuse scored with its only shot on target to beat North Carolina. Johnson evaded two defenders before finishing calmly to bag the winning goal with five minutes remaining. It was a rare moment of drama in a contest that simmered for 90 minutes. And for Syracuse, it was enough to set up an ACC semifinal berth.

Clemson provided the weekend’s biggest upset in the late kickoff, beating Duke 2-0. The Tigers controlled the game throughout, bossing a Duke midfield that had been so solid until Sunday's contest. They were direct and pacey on the break, playing through the lines and using their pace up front to create. Derek Waleffe scored the first, while Brandon Parrish added a second with less than a minute remaining.

Big East

Butler started strong in its win over Providence in the Big East first round. Palmer Ault opened the scoring with a calm finish inside 15 minutes. DJ Hooks added a second in the 27th, and the Bulldogs were comfortable from there. Ault tallied another 20 minutes into the second half to fully put things away — and set up an enticing semifinal with Georgetown Thursday evening.

Things were a lot close in the other matchup. Creighton took the lead after 35 minutes, with Girogio Probo finishing from the penalty spot. And the Bluejays tried to sit on the lead from there, but Xavier applied too much pressure, grabbing an equalizer in the 65th. Top scorer Duncan McGuire played hero shortly after, though, shifting the ball out of his feet and lashing the ball into the roof of the net. And the Bluejays comfortably sat on the 2-1 lead.

Sun Belt
West Virginia edged Coastal Carolina in the first round of the Sun Belt Tournament. Kentucky came back to beat South Carolina. James Madison spoiled Marshall’s conference tournament hopes early, squeaking out a 1-0 win. Meanwhile, Georgia State put three past Old Dominion.