CINCINNATI — Sometimes things aren’t meant to be. That was the case Sunday afternoon for the Dayton Flyers as they fell to Xavier 1-0 in the Atlantic-10 Tournament Finals at Corcoran Field. Xavier found the net with just 14 seconds left in the first half and bottled up the Flyers after halftime to secure their second tourney championship in three years. Unless the Flyers earn an at-large bid to the 48-team NCAA Tournament — a somewhat unlikely scenario — the Flyers finish the season at 16-5.

Sunday’s contest had all the makings of a classic as the Muskies and Flyers entered the match on serious hot streaks. Dayton had won their last nine contests while Xavier was unbeaten in their last 13 matches. Without a doubt, the two best teams in the conference were primed to crack skulls to earn the final bragging rights of the season. While Dayton bested Xavier 4-0 earlier in the year, the Flyers were also the last team to beat them.

Dayton got off a fast start in the first 10 minutes of the game as they put serious pressure on the XU defense and locked the play inside the Muskie half of the field. The Flyers were looking every bit up to the challenge and had a couple crosses in the box that challenged the XU goalkeeper early on. Slowly but surely however, the tides shifted and Xavier assumed control of the game. By winning precious 50/50 balls and redirecting Flyer goal kicks back into the UD defensive third of the field, the Flyers had trouble moving the ball out of harms way and up the field. The Muskies gained confidence and began shelling the Flyer goalmouth with corner kicks, crosses, and somersault throw-ins that were every bit as dangerous as a free kick. Had the Flyers reached halftime with the game scoreless, maybe things would be different, but Xavier’s pressure paid off as they cleaned up a loose ball in the box for the first and only goal of the game — just 14 seconds before intermission.

Despite the goal however, it may have been just what the doctor ordered for the red and blue. Beyond that point, the Flyers realized the true significance of the game and raised their level of play considerably as the second half started. Whereas Xavier controlled the midfield in the first half, Dayton responded by picking off XU clears near midfield and redirecting them downfield for scoring opportunities. While The Muskie defense bottled up Missy Gregg nicely all afternoon, Dayton’s work-ethic began paying off as the Flyers had two or three excellent chances inside the box to pass it by the XU goalkeeper for the equalizer. It didn’t happen however and soon enough the clock began to play a part in the contest. In the final 10 minutes, Dayton earned a pair of free kicks that resulted in crosses in the box, but Xavier did a strong job all afternoon of clearing away dangerous balls. In the end, the Flyers simply ran out of time as the clock wound down and played into the hands of the host team.

Though it’s a tough loss for the #1 seeded Flyers — the second tournament final loss to Xavier in three years — this is a team and a program that has a lot to be proud of.  After 10 games, many questioned Dayton’s chances for a third straight Atlantic-10 regular season title, but Head Coach Mike Tucker’s squad responded time and again to every challenge thrown at them as the season unfolded. Whenever there seemed to be doubt, Dayton found a way to raise their level of play and earn the respect of the coaches, fans, and opposing teams. Huge wins over Xavier, UMass, a pair over Rhode Island, and a critical early-season win over Auburn helped keep the Flyers on everybody’s least-wanted list all year.

For such a young team, Coach Tucker and his staff may have done their best coaching job of their careers. With so many new faces — new faces expected to contribute immediately — it is a credit to the coaches but most importantly the players, old and new, who helped bring the university yet another conference title. The best days of this program are clearly in the future, but not far enough away to have to wait too long. While Dayton is one of the youngest teams in the league, they also possess the most raw talent, depth, and skills players needed to challenge for a conference title every year. With the addition to Richmond in the A-10 next year, the Spider program will be a force to reckon with, but every A-10 championship team will always have one constant — it must go through Dayton first.

Many players stood out this year and each of them brought something special to the team. Whether it was Beth McHugh’s speed, Kara Kenney’s footwork, or Ingrid Zielke’s leadership, every player helped make a difference. That being said, UDPride wishes to acknowledge the following players individually for their exceptional achievement on the field this year.

UDPride Offensive Player of the Year: Missy Gregg, So., Forward
UDPride Defensive Player of the Year: Stephanie Weisenfeld, So., Goalkeeper
UDPride Newcomer of the Year: Erin Showalter, Fr., Sweeper
UDPride Editor’s Award: Nina DiGuardi, Fr., Stopper

— Offensively, Missy Gregg led the conference and sat near the top of the national scoring race all season. Recognized as the A-10 Offensive Player of the Year by the A-10 coaches, Showtime remains the most lethal scorer in the league and one of the best young players in the nation.

— Defensively, goalkeeper Stephanie Weisenfeld shined all year and may have given the Flyers a better chance to win than any other player on the team. While the A-10 coaches remain unconvinced, Suggs is not only the best goalkeeper in the conference, but she’s also among the Top 5 players in the league. Every goal Weisenfeld gave up was earned, and nothing ever comes easy for opposing scorers. Look for her to be a team captain next year and, finally, earn what is rightfully hers — respect outside Flyerland.

— While all of Coach Mike Tucker’s freshmen had solid seasons, none had more pressure and responsibility placed on her than sweeper Erin Showalter. Very few coaches have the confidence to play a true freshmen as the last line of defense — especially at a competitive level — but Showalter handled the job immeasurably well and will be a future star. While other frosh like Beth McHugh and Nina DiGuardi had flashier moments, Showalter’s quiet demeanor but all-important consistency throughout the entire season was a big reason why the Flyers never gave up more than two goals in any single contest this year.

— The UDPride Editor’s Award is chosen by myself for the player who best exemplifies the heart, determination, and “UDPride” that every player should strive for. Freshman Nina DiGuardi brought a warpaint mentality to every game and is a great example of how a blue-collar work-ethic can inspire confidence in teammates. No player was stronger, tougher, or more ready to hit the field and bust someone’s chops all season long.

There is a bright future in Dayton womens soccer and it was a pleasure to be a part of it in 2000. The Flyers made considerable progress this year and indications are that 2001 will be an even better one. Fresh new faces with loads of talent are in the hopper to blend in with the talent already in place. Should the Flyers earn an at-large bid into this season’s NCAA Tournament, we’ll continue our coverage, but if not, we look forward to 2001 with great anticipation as the lone source for complete Flyer soccer coverage on the Net.