SDSU Reaches Soccer Final With 2-1 Win

CLEMSON, S.C. —  A season full of matches played with consummate skill came down to a game of chance for two teams in the NCAA soccer tournament’s final four Saturday.

Ultimately, it was the Aztecs of San Diego State winning college soccer’s version of Russian roulette, defeating previously unbeaten Harvard, 2-1, by virtue of a 5-4 advantage in a penalty kick shootout.

San Diego State will play for the national championship at 10 a.m. PST today against Clemson, a 4-1 winner over North Carolina in Saturday’s other semifinal.

“In those penalty kick shootouts, anything can happen,” said San Diego State Coach Chuck Clegg. ‘You just can’t count on anything, no matter what the score. It’s like a free throw in basketball late in the game. In college soccer, it’s a situation where you should score at least 70% of the time.

“Right now, there’s a lot of emotion throughout the whole team. What we have to do now is let go of that emotion and start concentrating on the next match with Clemson. We know they’re obviously an excellent team.”

Two scoreless overtime periods, in which each team narrowly missed scoring opportunities, brought the match to the penalty kick shootout.

Ahead, 3-2, after misses by the Aztecs’ Curt Lewis and Tim Parker, Harvard had two chances to win the match.

But San Diego State goalie Bryan Finnerty made a save diving to his left on a kick by Harvard’s Ramy Rajballie, and SDSU’s Eric Wynalda made good on his kick to pull the Aztecs even, 3-3.

Harvard had one more chance under the format, which allows five kicks for each team, but David Kramer chipped the ball high and wide to the right, sending the teams into sudden death.

San Diego State went first and scored on Kyle Whittemore’s kick into the left corner of the net. Harvard’s Paul Baverstock countered, also with a kick into the left corner.

Then Brad Walsh sneaked another kick into the left corner ahead of Harvard goalkeeper Stephan Hall to give the Aztecs a 5-4 advantage.

Finnerty made a diving save on Mike Pepper’s kick to apparently win the match. But Pepper was allowed to kick again because Finnerty moved too early.

Again, Finnerty made a diving save, this time legally, to clinch the match for San Diego State.

“Bryan’s been unreal on penalty kicks,” said San Diego State forward Kyle Whittemore. “He’s just amazing.”

“Unfortunately, you’ve got to decide a match some way,” said Harvard Coach Mike Getman, whose team ended its season 14-1-3. “I don’t know if this was the best way or not. Probably today I’d tell you to change it. But there has to be some way to decide games, and I think that is as good as any.”

The match was as even as the final score indicated. Harvard had 19 shots to San Diego State’s 18.

Harvard scored first on a first-half goal by Derek Mills with an assist from Baverstock.

San Diego State tied it at 79:11 into the match on an unassisted goal by Brad Walsh.

“I was very pleased with the way we played at times,” Clegg said. “There was about two-thirds of the game where I felt we really played well. But there was about 30 minutes where Harvard was all over us. I thought the last three minutes of regulation, either team could have won it.”

But it is San Diego State (20-5) playing for the national championship today against Clemson (17-5-1).

“This team never quits,” Clegg said. “If you look back at all the games we’ve played in the playoffs, this team never gives up. It’s easy to hang your head when you get down, but this team didn’t do that, and it showed today.”