Whether Louisville or Akron won the 2010 NCAA Soccer College Cup yesterday in California, it would be a first for either school. While Akron had been to the final four and the championship game in the past and come up short, Louisville had never been this far before.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the Akron Zips got to take home the NCAA Championship trophy (their first ever in any sport at the school) yesterday in Santa Barbara after a 1-0 victory against Louisville.
After a historic season and a first-ever #1 ranking, the Louisville Men's soccer team will be bringing home the Runner-Up trophy.
With 11 minutes left to play in the game, Akron scored after a second chance shot on a corner kick couldn't be cleared from the box. It was a heart-breaking goal for Louisville and one that GK Andre Boudreaux had no chance of saving. After several shots on goal throughout the match, a flurry of "almost-goals" in the last minutes of the game (and a possible hand ball in the box against Akron), Louisville couldn't find the equalizer to send the game into OT.
While the end result was just short of the team's ultimate goal, the Cardinals had a dream season, and one they can build on for years to come. Congratulations, Louisville Men's Soccer Team- you've made your city (and soccer fans alike) very proud!
