Men's soccer defeated on penalty kicks by Illinois-Chicago

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Illinois-Chicago was the 5 a.m. alarm clock that awoke the fourth-seeded MSU men’s soccer team from the most vivid of dreams.

And it came in the worst and most abrupt way possible.

The Spartans’ season ended in heartbreaking fashion as they battled Illinois-Chicago to a 0-0 draw through regulation and overtime, but fell 3-2 after penalty kicks.

MSU head coach Joe Baum was disappointed the game had to go to a shootout, where luck often prevails. But he said the scoreless draw accurately portrayed how tightly the match was played.

“The game was dead-even and maybe it’s justice it went to penalties,” Baum said. “But I’m very proud of this team and I thought we fought and fought.”

The Spartans (13-5-2 overall) defense kept up its solid work and finished the season without allowing a goal in 812 consecutive minutes.

“Isn’t it just amazing?” Baum said of the defensive effort. “They did everything we asked them. I’m so proud of this defense.”

Senior forward Doug DeMartin expected the defensive battle, especially with the cold weather.

“It was a tight game with limited chances — we knew that coming in,” DeMartin said. “That’s the way they play and that’s the way we play. We had a couple chances and didn’t finish.”

DeMartin had the best opportunity of the game with only three seconds remaining in the second overtime. He looped a header over Illinois-Chicago goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja that hit off the top of the crossbar and went over the goal.

“It was weird,” DeMartin said.

“It was just kind of spinning and it stuck through the air. I thought it had a chance toward the end.”

Senior midfielder Zac Scaffidi thought Illinois-Chicago had an advantage in the penalty kicks because of its past experience in the first round of the NCAA Tournament when the team defeated Dayton 3-1 in the shootout.

“Their goalie was holding the ball and I think he wanted PKs,” Scaffidi said.

“I think they knew that we were the better team and if they took us to PKs they would probably have a better shot to win.”

Illinois-Chicago’s experience in the shootout proved to be the difference-maker in the deadlocked game.

DeMartin, who converted both of MSU’s penalty kicks this season, shot first for the Spartans, and for the second time of the game, he couldn’t find the back of the net as the ball hit the crossbar.

With the penalty kick score knotted at two, sophomore goalkeeper Avery Steinlage pumped the crowd up and came up with a big save on Illinois-Chicago star midfielder Baggio Husidic.

Scaffidi was next for the Spartans and he fired a low shot to the left post that just whizzed wide.

When Illinois-Chicago’s Charlie Trout beat Steinlage and MSU senior defender Josh Rogers’ shot was stopped by Bubonja, the Spartans’ season came to a close.

Even through the tough defeat, Scaffidi realizes how remarkable of a year his team had and he said he will forever be thankful for being able to finish out his MSU career with such a memorable season.

“It’s just really disappointing and a shame that we ended up losing here today because we had such a special season,” Scaffidi said.

“I want to look back and be happy about it. But right now it’s tough with the loss we just took.”

Tuesday’s defeat marked the end of Baum’s 32-year tenure as head coach.

Baum said he will always be grateful for his final season, during which his team won the Big Ten regular season title for the first time in program history and the Big Ten Tournament for the second time.

“This has been one of the happiest years of my life,” Baum said. “I’ve thanked (our players) over and over. I won’t forget them.”

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