THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE ONLINE

November 20, 2007

PLAYOFFS!
Men's soccer becomes UC Davis' first team to qualify for NCAA Division I Tournament

By ADAM LOBERSTEIN

On Monday at 2:30 p.m., the UC Davis men's soccer team came together to see if their postseason prayers had been answered.

And less than 30 minutes later, the Aggies walked away with exactly what they had been hoping for.

After battling Cal State Fullerton to a 1-1 draw and besting UC Irvine, 2-1, over the weekend, UC Davis earned its coveted at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

"It all feels like a dream right now," said Big West Conference Player of the Week Paul Marcoux. "I can't even explain it. Now we have to settle back down. We all know what we can do next."

Friday - UC Davis 1, Cal State Fullerton 1 (2 OT)

Entering Friday's action against host Cal State Fullerton, the Aggies knew to treat the Titans as a larger threat than their 2-6-2 Big West record indicated.

"Our conference is so difficult and everybody is so good, the bottom teams could beat the top teams without question," said head coach Dwayne Shaffer. "Fullerton is a really good team. They are going to be ready and prepared to play us."

The host Titans came out as advertised, holding the Aggies and their postseason hopes scoreless until 88:26 of the 90-minute regulation period.

"We knew we had to get at least a tie," said junior co-captain midfielder Sule Anibaba. "You have to do whatever it takes. Fullerton played a good game. We just kept pressuring them."

With just 1:34 left to play, the endless Aggie pressure finally broke the Titan defense. Senior defender Paul Cain's throw-in deflected off the hands of Cal State Fullerton goalkeeper Brent Douglas, and senior defender Ahmad Hatifie made him pay for the costly rebound by tying things up to force overtime.

"Ahmad - he was in the right place at the right time, and he put it in for us," Anibaba said. "It was great that we scored there. We had to get to overtime and get a point."

With the additional point that came from pushing the contest to overtime, the Aggies earned a one-point advantage over Cal Poly for the rights to second place in the Big West and an excellent shot at NCAA postseason play. Both teams have one contest remaining, leaving UC Davis in the position of controlling its own destiny.

On Monday at 2:30 p.m., the UC Davis men's soccer team came together to see if their postseason prayers had been answered.

And less than 30 minutes later, the Aggies walked away with exactly what they had been hoping for.

After battling Cal State Fullerton to a 1-1 draw and besting UC Irvine, 2-1, over the weekend, UC Davis earned its coveted at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

"It all feels like a dream right now," said Big West Conference Player of the Week Paul Marcoux. "I can't even explain it. Now we have to settle back down. We all know what we can do next."

Friday - UC Davis 1, Cal State Fullerton 1 (2 OT)

Entering Friday's action against host Cal State Fullerton, the Aggies knew to treat the Titans as a larger threat than their 2-6-2 Big West record indicated.

"Our conference is so difficult and everybody is so good, the bottom teams could beat the top teams without question," said head coach Dwayne Shaffer. "Fullerton is a really good team. They are going to be ready and prepared to play us."

The host Titans came out as advertised, holding the Aggies and their postseason hopes scoreless until 88:26 of the 90-minute regulation period.

"We knew we had to get at least a tie," said junior co-captain midfielder Sule Anibaba. "You have to do whatever it takes. Fullerton played a good game. We just kept pressuring them."

With just 1:34 left to play, the endless Aggie pressure finally broke the Titan defense. Senior defender Paul Cain's throw-in deflected off the hands of Cal State Fullerton goalkeeper Brent Douglas, and senior defender Ahmad Hatifie made him pay for the costly rebound by tying things up to force overtime.

"Ahmad - he was in the right place at the right time, and he put it in for us," Anibaba said. "It was great that we scored there. We had to get to overtime and get a point."

With the additional point that came from pushing the contest to overtime, the Aggies earned a one-point advantage over Cal Poly for the rights to second place in the Big West and an excellent shot at NCAA postseason play. Both teams have one contest remaining, leaving UC Davis in the position of controlling its own destiny.

And less than 30 minutes later, the Aggies walked away with exactly what they had been hoping for.

After battling Cal State Fullerton to a 1-1 draw and besting UC Irvine, 2-1, over the weekend, UC Davis earned its coveted at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

"It all feels like a dream right now," said Big West Conference Player of the Week Paul Marcoux. "I can't even explain it. Now we have to settle back down. We all know what we can do next."

Friday - UC Davis 1, Cal State Fullerton 1 (2 OT)

Entering Friday's action against host Cal State Fullerton, the Aggies knew to treat the Titans as a larger threat than their 2-6-2 Big West record indicated.

"Our conference is so difficult and everybody is so good, the bottom teams could beat the top teams without question," said head coach Dwayne Shaffer. "Fullerton is a really good team. They are going to be ready and prepared to play us."

The host Titans came out as advertised, holding the Aggies and their postseason hopes scoreless until 88:26 of the 90-minute regulation period.

"We knew we had to get at least a tie," said junior co-captain midfielder Sule Anibaba. "You have to do whatever it takes. Fullerton played a good game. We just kept pressuring them."

With just 1:34 left to play, the endless Aggie pressure finally broke the Titan defense. Senior defender Paul Cain's throw-in deflected off the hands of Cal State Fullerton goalkeeper Brent Douglas, and senior defender Ahmad Hatifie made him pay for the costly rebound by tying things up to force overtime.

"Ahmad - he was in the right place at the right time, and he put it in for us," Anibaba said. "It was great that we scored there. We had to get to overtime and get a point."

With the additional point that came from pushing the contest to overtime, the Aggies earned a one-point advantage over Cal Poly for the rights to second place in the Big West and an excellent shot at NCAA postseason play. Both teams have one contest remaining, leaving UC Davis in the position of controlling its own destiny.