Nov. 6, 1999
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The eighth-seeded Notre Dame men’s soccer team was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 1999 BIG EAST Championship as the Irish suffered a 2-0 setback to top-seeded and 17th-ranked Rutgers at the Rutgers Soccer Stadium. The loss ends the ’99 campaign for the Irish who finish their season with an 8-9-3 record.
Notre Dame managed just two shots in the contest as the Scarlet Knights outshot the visitors 17-2. Both Rutgers goals came in the first 16:17 of the game. The Scarlet Knights wasted little time in getting on the board as Todd Moser with an assist from Guy Abrahamson tallied the first goal 2:36 into the contest.
Dennis Ludwig notched the second goal at the 16:17 mark off an assist from John Youssef.
The only two shots taken in the game were by Irish freshman Erich Braun (Frankfurt, Germany). Senior goalkeeper Gerick Short (Mobile, Ala.) closed out his career with five saves in the contest. He was replaced by freshman Greg Tait (Fayetteville, N.Y.) who played the final 7:02 of the contest.
Both of Notre Dame shot attempts came in the second half, while Rutgers had six shots in the first 45-minute stanza and 11 in the final period.
Rutgers goalkeeper Jon Conway did not have to make a save in the game.
This was the third straight shutout win for the Scarlet Knights over the Irish. Rutgers beat Notre Dame on the road 1-0 during the regular season and posted a 1-0 overtime shutout in 1998 at home.
In the five previous meetings between the two teams prior to this quarterfinal matchup, the outcome was decided by a 1-0 score.
The Irish started five freshman in the game and just two seniors.
Notre Dame (8-9-3) 0 0 -- 0Rutgers (12-4-3) 2 0 -- 2
SCORING: Rutgers: Todd Moser (Abrahamson), 2,36, Rutgers: Dennis Ludwig (Youssef), 16,17
SHOTS: Rutgers 17, Notre Dame 2
CORNER KICKS: Rutgers 6, Notre Dame 2, FOULS: Notre Dame 14, Rutgers 13
GOALIE SAVES: Notre Dame – Gerick Short (5), Greg Tait (0), Rutgers – Jon Conway (0)