World Collegiate Soccer Championship 1987
In 1984 the World Collegiate Soccer Championship was founded by entrepreneur Bob Azar after watching a Mexico 0:1 USA Friendly International on the tv. After annual single match tournaments, the fourth edition of the invitational tournament extended to four teams and UCD AFC (IRL) was one of the invites. The matches were played on the New Mexico State University campus at the 20,000 capacity Aggie Memorial Stadium, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA.
UCD brought over the Famous Fried Chicken League of Ireland squad in late April 1987 with First Team Coach Theo Dunne at the helm.
Semi-Final: Friday 24th April 1987, Aggie Memorial Stadium
University Veracruz (Mex) 0:0 UCD AFC aet (10 mins ew) (2-3 pens ) Att: 5,300
David Tilson missed, Michael Kavanagh, Peter Hanrahan and Mark McKenna scored [1 missed peno not mentioned]
(Match report from Albuquerque Journal 25th April 1987)
It was reported as a tough game with plenty of heavy challenges. Mark ‘Stick’ McKenna missed a penalty in normal time.
On Sunday 26th April 1987, UCD took the field against Sangamon State University later to become University of Illinois of Springfield. Sangamon State had defeated the holders UCLA 2-1 after the favourites UCLA had a player sent off.
IV World Collegiate Soccer Championship Final
Sunday 26th April 1987, Aggi Memorial Stadium, Las Cruces, New Mexico
Sangamon State University 0:1 UCD AFC, ko 14:15 (Michael Kavanagh 71′)
Attendance: 13,123 Temp: 82°F Humidity: 20%
(preamble on the build-up and then approx 80 minutes of the match but includes the goal from Michael Kavanagh near the end, 1:33:20 the sparks begin. Commentator Bob Kurtz and USA Mens National Goalkeeper Shep Messing was the TV Pundit with a wonderful pragmatic approach to the game.)
Michael Kavanagh headed home in 71st minute after a Mark McKenna free to Colm Begley at the back post, he sent a floating header back across the goal. Kavanagh scored on the goal line to give UCD some silver wear to take back to Ireland.
Sangamon State: Brian Kasting; Tim Nasello, Jim King, Sam Tate, Larry Zettlmeier; Marty Pike, Chris Owsley, Bill Becher, Charles Purser; Scott Skaivan, Mark Moser. Head Coach: Aydin Gonulsen
UCD AFC: Paul Kavanagh (GK), Richard Earle, Paul Hale, Paul Hughes, Colm Begley,; Michael Kavanagh, Peter Hanrahan, Simon Lysaght, Mark McKenna; Darren O’Brien, David Tilson.
Referee: John Kennedy, Las Vegas ND; Linesmen: Ruben Guiterrez, Jorge Valenzuela; Alternate: Oswaldo Valadez
(Albuquerque Journal with Match Report of Final in two parts)
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29th November 1986 article celebrating Sangamon State’s NAIA Championship win
https://uisprairiestars.com/news/1986/11/29/mens-soccer-stars-bring-home-national-crown.aspx
” WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Sangamon State University closed the book on its soccer comeback story Saturday, capturing the first national championship in the 10-year history of the Prairie Stars’ program.
SSU, which faced elimination after a first-round loss to Westmont of California last Monday, capped an unprecedented comeback Saturday with a 1-0 victory over Simon Fraser in the title game of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Tournament.
Sangamon State, which was seeded second in the 12-team field, is the first team to lose a game and rally to win the championship in the tournament’s 28-year history.
Appropriately, it was Bill Becher who scored the goal that made the difference. Becher, who came back after missing nine early-season games with an ankle injury, scored on a penalty kick at 37 minutes 32 seconds into the first half.
The win gave SSU its first championship in six national appearances. It was the Prairie Stars’ third shutout of the tournament and their 15th of the season as they finished 19-7-1. Becher, a senior midfielder from St. Louis, was voted the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He set up his game-winner when he took a shot from 25 yards outside the penalty box.
“I wasn’t really trying to shoot the ball in the goal or anything,” said Becher. “I was just trying to get the ball into the box and hope for a handball.”
Becher’s shot was headed right for the chest of teammate Scott Skrivan. The senior forward ducked and the ball hit SFU defender Bruno Accili near the right shoulder. The referee awarded the Stars a penalty kick.
“I was right behind the guy (Skrivan) and he had screened me out,” Accili said. “I couldn’t see the shot coming until he ducked down and it hit me. Anyway, it’s a handball when you play the ball, not when the ball plays you.”
Said Gonulsen: “The way I saw it, Becher hit a very hard shot and the defender blocked it with his arm. It was a very legitimate call. It hit him high in the arm. It was a clear a penalty as I’ve seen.
“It’s unfortunate, but it’s part of the game.”
On the penalty kick, goalkeeper Rob Merkl, who was named the tournament’s outstanding defensive player, started to his left and went back to the right. But he couldn’t stop the shot in the upper corner.
“I knew exactly where I wanted to go with it,” Becher said. “I practiced penalty kicks a lot and I always take them the same way. Once you try to do it another way, you start to miss them.”
It was the first goal against Simon Fraser in tournament play since the 1982 semifinals against Avila, Mo. The Clansmen won NAIA titles in 1976, 1982 and 1983. They came into Saturday’s final having posted 10 shutouts in their last 11 games.
But the Clansmen, who finished 17-4-1, were coming off a Friday semifinal victory over Rockhurst (Mo.) that went to penalty kicks. Becher said that game probably took a little bit out of SFU, but he added that SFU coach Keith Watts provided some extra incentive.
“That (semifinal) game took something out of them,” Becher said, “but before that, they had Erskine and West Virginia Wesleyan in their (pool-play) bracket. Their coach said the final had been played after they beat West Virginia. Then Rockhurst gave them a match yesterday.”
Gonulsen said that Prairie Star goalie Brian Kasting made two big saves — one early in the first half and one early in the second half. Vince Ciaramitaro also made a save along the goal line.
“I told the guys we would take the game to them,” Gonulsen said. “They weren’t fit enough to take the ball on the ground. I knew we had the skill to carry it on the ground and beat them.
“We were able to move, and our defense was excellent. Sam Tate and Larry Zettlmeier won all their head balls. I think we wanted it a little more than they did. We had a lot of fans and they kept cheering throughout the game.”
The triumph had additional meaning for Gonulsen, who emigrated from Turkey to the United States in 1963. He began the SSU program in 1977. “Basically, I just want to thank God that I live in America where you can have the freedom and opportunity to reach your potential,” Gonulsen said. “Only in America can something like this happen.
“This has to be perhaps the happiest moment in my life, along with getting married and having our three kids. And becoming a citizen in 1974. I want to thank my brother, Yavuz, who brought me here and put me through college.
“I also want to thank the University for its support, especially Durwood Long (university president) and Homer Butler (SSU administrator). I also want to thank Ralph Passarelli, the president of our athletic association. He made it possible for us to get extra scholarships, which led to our stronger bench, which helped win the national title.”
Ironically, the Stars’ win came against the only NAIA school from Canada. Simon Fraser is located in Burnaby, British Columbia.
ALL-TOURNAMENT SELECTIONS included Becher and SSU’s Charles Purser and Mark Moser. Moser, who scored four goals in the tourney and finished with a team-high 26, was named the tournament’s outstanding offensive player. “