ACNORFOLK.COM: CAA CHAMPIONStag:www.acnorfolk.com,2005:TypoTypo2007-11-19T11:50:42-05:00Tomurn:uuid:36eb8cd3-8042-4a1c-a42d-271b3f66e17b2007-11-19T11:50:42-05:002007-11-19T11:50:42-05:00CAA CHAMPIONS<p><img src='http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2087/2047712050_ec87692b95.jpg'/></p>
<p>Congratulations to The ODU Men's Soccer team for winning the CAA tournament!</p>
<p>ODU Head Coach: Alan Dawson, (ACN Director)</p>
<p>Asst Coach: Mark Waite, (ACN/PDS Director)</p>
<p>Asst Coach: Ryan Sniegoski (ACN Maradona)</p>
<p>VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (November 18, 2007) – Old Dominion captured its first CAA Men’s Soccer Championship since 1991, topping fourth-seeded Towson 4-2 in a penalty kick shootout following a 0-0 double-overtime tie.</p>
<p>The Monarchs (12-6-3) advance to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship for the sixth year in a row, while the Tigers saw their season come to an end with a 12-7-2 mark. </p>
<p>It was the second straight year that the CAA championship match has been decided on penalty kicks, but the first time that a title match had ever ended in a scoreless tie.</p>
<p>ODU never trailed in the shootout, converting four of its five penalty kicks. Junior midfielder Trevor Banks made the deciding kick in round five, beating Towson keeper Billy Chiles to the right side. </p>
<p>ODU’s Evan Newton and Towson’s Nino Mangione converted kicks to tie the competition at 1-1 after two rounds. The Monarchs’ David Horst put his team back ahead 2-1to start round three and a diving save by Newton put ODU ahead to stay. The Monarchs’ Nane Joseph and the Tigers’ Pat Healey both connected on kicks in round four, setting the stage for Banks’ game-winner.</p>
<p>ODU controlled play for most of the match, out-shooting Towson 23-8 and owning a 13-2 advantage on corner kicks. Monarchs’ senior midfielder A.J. Kulp, who was chosen as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Performer, took a team-high eight shots, including three on goal.</p>
<p>Chiles was outstanding in net for the Tigers, making seven saves to record his ninth shutout of the year. Newton stopped one shot and tallied his league-leading 10th shutout.</p>
<p>The Monarchs nearly took the lead with 17:40 remaining in regulation. Freshman Steffen Sommerstad received a pass from junior Daniel Haywood in the left side of the box. Sommerstad tried to cross the ball towards the right post from eight yards out, but Towson keeper Billy Chiles made a diving stab and deflected the ball wide of the goal.</p>
<p>Junior midfielder Matt Beckman had Towson’s best two scoring chances in the second half. He missed just wide on a 30-yard laser with just under 11 minutes to play and had a 22-yard direct kick smothered by ODU keeper Evan Newton with 1:35 remaining.</p>
<p>ODU out-shot Towson 6-2 in a scoreless opening half. The Monarchs had a great chance midway through the period when sophomore Nane Joseph sent a beautiful through ball to sophomore Ambane Emmanuel, who was streaking toward the right goal post. Emmanuel took a shot from eight yards away, but Chiles charged out and deflected the ball off the left post.</p>
<p>The Tigers had a good opportunity in the final minute of the first half as Beckman found senior Pat Healey in the middle of the box on a long throw-in, but Healey’s header went over the crossbar from 10 yards out.</p>
<p>Joining Kulp on the all-tournament team from ODU were Newton, David Horst and Yomby William. Chiles headlined Towson’s all-tournament selections along with Scott Horta and Maxx Hurkamp. Also making the all-tournament team were Anthony Bafile and Brandon Fischer of Drexel along with Gerson Dos Santos and Owusu Sekyere of VCU.</p>