University of Louisville
10-7-3
Clemson (Final)
11-6-3
Clemson Stuns Louisville to Win ACC Championship
November 16, 2014 | Men's Soccer
Joachim Ball punches the ball away on Sunday. (Photo by Sara D. Davis, theACC.com)
CardsTV News Conference: Head Coach Ken Lolla
ACC Digital Network Highlights | 2014 ACC Men's Soccer Championship Photo Gallery
CARY, N.C. - The 14th-ranked Louisville men's soccer team suffered a heartbreaking loss in Sunday's ACC Championship final falling 2-1 in double overtime to 19th-ranked Clemson at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Trailing for most of the match, the Tigers (11-6-3) scored the equalizing goal with just three seconds remaining to send the championship clash into overtime. After both clubs were scoreless in the first 10-minute overtime period, Clemson connected for the game-winner in the 105th minute when Ara Amirkhanian scored following a corner kick chance. It was the third straight double-overtime match in the tournament for the Tigers.
"It's a tough way to finish the ACC Tournament," said Louisville head coach Ken Lolla. "I give Clemson credit for battling to the end. We should have managed the game a little bit better and because of that it cost us."
The Cardinals (10-7-3) will now await their 2014 NCAA Championship assignment as the field of 48 teams will be released at NCAA.com on Monday at 1 p.m., ET. Louisville, which entered the week at No. 22 in the official RPI rankings released by the NCAA, has hosted NCAA Championship matches in each of the last four seasons and six times in the last season years overall.
"We were 22 (in RPI) going into the week," Lolla said when asked about where the Cardinals will land in the NCAA field. "But are wins against Syracuse and even an overtime loss to Clemson enough to put us in the top 16? I don't know. I don't know enough about the other results. I think if you simply look at our results and our strength of schedule, I think we should be considered in that top 16."
Making its first conference tournament title match appearance since winning the 2010 Big East Championship, Louisville connected for the first goal of the afternoon in the 13th minute when junior Ricardo Velazco (Casa Grande, Ariz.) connected on a diving header sending it inside the left post for the 1-0 lead. The sixth goal of the season and the second of the weekend for Velazco was setup by a perfectly placed cross from the left side by sophomore Andrew Brody (Orlando, Fla.), who earned his fourth assist of 2014.
The Cardinals maintained that lead until the pivotal flurry at the end of regulation when Paul Clowes scored his first goal of the season working the ball inside the left post in the 90th minute. It was the second straight match Clemson where forced overtime with a late goal after tying Notre Dame in the 89th minute in Friday's semifinal.
After neither side managed a serious scoring chance in the first overtime period, the Tigers found the net for the deciding goal at 104:43 in the match when Amirkhanian was on the finishing end of an attack from deep inside the Louisville zone following a corner kick. Deigo Campos and Kyle Fisher were credited with the assists on the decisive goal, which set off a rain-soaked celebration in the corner of the field.
Overall, Clemson finished with a 9-5 advantage in shots, including a 6-3 edge in shots on goal. The Tigers also had a 5-1 advantage in corner kick chances.
Following the match, Louisville's Velazco, senior defender Daniel Keller, senior goalkeeper Joachim Ball, junior midfielder Ben Strong and freshman defender Tim Kubel were named to the 2014 ACC Championship All-Tournament Team.
Fans can follow Louisville men's soccer on Twitter (@UofLmenssoccer) at http://twitter.com/uoflmenssoccer and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/UofLmenssoccer.
2014 ACC Championship Most Valuable Player
Paul Clowes, Clemson
2014 ACC Men's Soccer All-Tournament Team
Ara Amirkhanian, Clemson
Bobby Belair, Clemson
Paul Clowes, Clemson
Kyle Fisher, Clemson
Pahanuel Kavita, Clemson
Andrew Tarbell, Clemson
Joachim Ball, Louisville
Daniel Keller, Louisville
Tim Kubel, Louisville
Ben Strong, Louisville
Ricardo Velazco, Louisville
Team Stats
Ricardo Velazco (6)
Assisted By: Andrew Brody
header after centering pass, finishes fr
12:53
Paul Clowes (1)
Assisted By: Michael Melvin , Alexandre Happi
boots it from top of the box
89:57
Ara Amirkhanian (2)
Assisted By: Diego Campos , Kyle Fisher
off of corner kick
104:43
