DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Cincinnati
De Leon Saves DePaul in the Nick of Time
10/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S SOCCER
Oct. 27, 2010
CHICAGO - Ray De Leon's sense of timing was exquisite.
Not only did he score a clutch goal with 1 minute, 15 seconds left in regulation time of DePaul's 1-1 double-overtime tie with Cincinnati, but his father---also named Ray De Leon---was able to witness it Wednesday from the Wish Field at Cacciatore Stadium stands.
It was a shot-in-the-arm for a DePaul program caught up in a dogfight for the final BIG EAST Conference Championship playoff spot in the Red Division.
The tie gives DePaul (3-9-5, 0-5-3) three points in the BIG EAST and ties the Blue Demons for the last postseason berth with Syracuse and Rutgers.
On Wednesday night, Syracuse lost 2-1 at home to No. 2/4 Louisville and Rutgers fell 2-1 at No. 24 USF. DePaul is at Rutgers on Saturday and Syracuse is at Cincinnati.
The extremely windy conditions with gusts around 50 miles per hour wreaked a little havoc on this BIG EAST matchup.
De Leon fired the shot from 30 yards out. It deflected off the chest of Bearcat goalkeeper Matt Williams, and a combination of the shot's momentum and the strong wind pushed it across the goal line.
"It was like an instinct thing," said De Leon of his first collegiate goal. "I got the ball, and shot it. The wind was doing some crazy things with the ball, and luckily it went in.
"The wind was really on our side. For a while, no one was sure it went in, but then I saw Dre (Andre Gutierrez) running towards me with his arms up.
"It was a great feeling."
Just 43 seconds earlier, De Leon had ripped a hard line drive from 25 yards out that just missed the upper-right of the net.
"When the clock is running down, you've got to take chances," De Leon said. "I barely missed it, but I think it gave the team some momentum and helped lead to our goal."
The Blue Demons fell behind Cincinnati (6-4-6, 4-1-3) early when the Bearcats' Matt Bahner got behind the DePaul defense and sent a textbook cross to Mark Konitsch, who scored his first goal of the season from right in front of the far post in the eighth minute.
"Credit Cincinnati for good execution on that play," said DePaul coach Craig Blazer. "But give our guys a lot of credit for showing a tough-minded attitude in battling back.
"Ray De Leon found a way to get a couple of shots off in the second half, and he got the tying goal. "We've been asking for someone other than Alex Mangan and Antonio Aguilar to score for us, and Ray came through when we really needed it."
After that, goalkeeper John Michael Kulnig and defenders Austin Toth, Matt Leinauer, Gutierrez and Scott Freundlich held Cincinnati to zero shots in the two overtimes.
"John Michael was huge," Blazer said. "Early in the second half, Cincinnati had a couple of good scoring opportunities that JM was able to stop.
"He played a great game, and there was also the resiliency of our back four."
It's on to Rutgers for a 6 p.m. showdown in the final game of the regular season that could determine the final playoff spot.
"This means the world to our guys," De Leon said. "Every single one of them is extremely passionate about that game.
"We're under a lot of pressure. But, I really believe in the guys---that we can pull it out and get a positive result."
NOTES: The fifth tie of the season set a school record, eclipsing the four ties in 1993 and 2008... the Blue Demons are hoping to keep their playoff streak alive... they have qualified for the BIG EAST Championship tournament the last four seasons... De Leon played his best game of the season with a season-high four shots and two shots on goal... Aguilar and Mangan each took three shots, and Aguilar had one shot on goal... Freundlich, Gutierrez and Art Garza each had one shot... DePaul outshot Cincinnati 13-5 and had five shots on goal to three for the visitors... Cincinnati was limited to three shots in the second half and both overtimes... there were 30 fouls whistled in the game, 20 on the Bearcats.
