NCAA: Providence En Route to Elite 8

(Video: Providence College Athletics)

Markus Naglestad blasted a 30-yard free kick goal late in the late stages to send Providence College to its first Elite 8 berth after beating UC-Irvine 1-0 at Ray Treacy Track in Providence, R.I. in Sunday’s Third Round of the NCAA College Cup tournament.

Naglestad’s game-winner arrived in the 77th minute, while Friars’ keeper Keasel Broome collected a pair of saves to pick up his 15th clean sheet of the season.

Providence will play Michigan State on Saturday in East Lansing, Mich. at 12pm. It is the first Elite Eight berth for Providence in the school’s history.

The hosts nearly broke through inside of 19 minutes when Julian Gressel grabbed a ball from Mac Steeves and slid it through for Revolution Academy product Dominik Machado inside the 18. Machado beat his defender, but his shot smacked the crossbar.

Although the Friars finished the first half with a 9-2 advantage on total shots, they had nothing to show for it against the Anteaters. But they were determined to change that in the second half.

The Friars nearly had the rug pulled under them in the 53rd minute when Dennis Martinez crossed it for Bryan Breslin, who steered it toward the upper 90. But Broome made an athletic save to deny the effort.

Despite the scare, the Friars continued to press for the go-ahead. In the 68th minute, another Revolution Academy product – Fabio Machado – was denied point blank by keeper Michael Breslin.

Then, with 13 minutes remaining in regulation, Naglestad unleashed a long-distance missile that lodged itself into the back of the Anteaters’ net to send the Friars on their way to a Elite 8. The victory also gave the Providence its program-best 15th win of the season.