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NCAA notes: Hodan, Cirovski provide state ties to men's College Cup

12/10/2013, 6:00pm CST
By ERIC ANDERSON
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There might not be any Wisconsin teams at this weekend's NCAA Division I men's College Cup at PPL Park in Chester, Pa., but there are two state ties to the weekend matches that will bring an end to the 55th annual tournament.

The first one will be on the field.

Sophomore midfielder Patrick Hodan (Milwaukee Marquette) and third-ranked Notre Dame will take on No. 25 New Mexico (14-5-2) in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. Friday.

Hodan ranks second on the team with nine goals and five assists and is in tremendous form, having scored in each of the past five matches for the Fighting Irish (15-1-6), who will be making their College Cup debut under well-respected coach Bobby Clark.

Hodan's most recent goal, the game-winner in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Michigan State in the quarterfinals, was an impressive one.

The Brookfield native used some nifty footwork to work around two defenders at the top of the box, then beat Michigan State goalkeeper Zach Bennett on a shot just inside the right post to give host Notre Dame a 2-0 lead in the 48th minute. (Video below, starting at 1:03 mark)

"Hodan's goal was ... just a piece of beauty. It was a terrific goal," said Clark, whose team started its NCAA run with a 4-0 victory over the University of Wisconsin in a second-round match back on Nov. 24.

The other Wisconsin connection to the College Cup will be on the sidelines.

Maryland coach Sasho Cirovski (UW-Milwaukee) starred for the Panthers from 1981 to '84 and had stints as a player and a coach with the Milwaukee Wave.

Cirovski has led the Terrapins to a 330-119-34 record and this will be his eighth College Cup appearance, having won national titles in 2005 and '08.

Fourth-ranked Maryland (16-3-5), which will join the Big Ten Conference next year, faces No. 9 Virginia (13-5-5) in the second semifinal at 6:30 p.m. The national championship game is set for 2 p.m. Sunday, and all three matches will be shown on ESPNU.

NCAA DIVISION III

Four state players saw action as Loras (Iowa) saw its season end in stunning fashion in a Division III national semifinal Friday night in San Antonio, Texas.

The sixth-ranked Duhawks scored in the 80th and 85th minutes to erase a one-goal deficit and take the lead, but third-ranked Rutgers-Camden (N.J.) found an 88th-minute equalizer and won 3-2 on a 75-yard free kick by Keegan Balle. (Video below)

Balle sent the free kick inside the Scarlet Raptors' own half on the left side high into the air and it carried all the way to the far post, where it bounced into the goal.

Senior defender Erik Berkowitz (Racine St. Catherine's) took his usual spot in the starting XI for Loras (19-2-3) and logged 86 minutes. Freshman midfielder Jonah Jacke (Green Bay Southwest) played 18 minutes for the Duhawks, while freshman forward Chris Paulino (La Crosse Aquinas) saw 15 minutes and sophomore midfielder Jorge Simon (Kimberly) played the final 5 minutes of regulation. 

Fourth-ranked Messiah, Penn. (23-1-1) won its 10th national title, outlasting Rutgers-Camden 2-1 in double overtime in Saturday's final.

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