2014 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's soccer team

The 2014 SIU Edwardsville Cougars men's soccer team represented Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the 2014 NCAA Division I men's soccer season. The Cougars were coached in 2014 by co-head coaches Brian Jones and David Korn. The team played their home games on Bob Guelker Field at the Ralph Korte Stadium as an affiliate member of the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC).SIUE

Preseason Fourteen players returned from the 8-9-2 team of 2013, including two first team All-Missouri Valley Conference performers: forward Christian Volesky and defender Matt Polster; All-MVC Honorable Mention defender Justin Bilyeu; and MVC All-Freshmen defenders Andrew Kendall-Moulin and Austin Ledbetter . They were joined by five "redshirted" freshmen who were in the group that was named one of the nation's top recruiting classes of 2013,Final 2013 men’s recruiting class rankings | College Soccer a redshirted junior, a transfer who was First Team All-Conference in The Summit League, and five freshmen.2014 SIUE Men's Soccer Roster - SIUE The six member incoming 2014 class, like its predecessor, was rated one of the top recruiting classes in the country. SIUE is the only Division I team with 100% of its 2013 scoring players back for 2014.

For the second season in a row, defender Matt Polster was one of 32 players named to the preseason watch list for the Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy, college soccer's highest individual award.

In Top Drawer Soccer's (TDS) preseason list of the top 100 college soccer players in the nation, Mat Polster was ranked #48.College Soccer Preseason Top 100 Players | College Soccer Additionally, the TDS preseason rankings of the top 20 players in each conference ranked Polster #2, Christian Volesky #3, Andrew Kendall-Moullin #17, and Justin Bilyeu #18 in the MVC.College Soccer Player Rankings

In the MVC preseason coaches' poll, SIUE was picked to finish fifth. Seniors Matt Polster and Christian Volesky were named to the pre-season All-MVC team, Polster for the third season in a row, Volesky for the second.

In exhibition games, the Cougars defeated the Oakland Golden Grizzlies 3–1 at Korte Stadium and the IUPUI Jaguars 2–0 in Indianapolis.

Season

Former coach Scott Donnelly set up a demanding schedule which included five teams that were ranked during the 2013 season, four that were in the NCAA Tournament.2013 Division I Men's Soccer Tournament | NCAA.com There was also a full Missouri Valley Conference schedule and matches against traditional rivals.2014 SIUE Men's Soccer Schedule - SIUE

Opening the season at home for the first time since 2010, the Cougars outplayed the Virginia Tech Hokies through regulation time in a game that featured outstanding goalkeeping on both ends of the field. Despite SIUE dominating the shooting 16–8, Tech's Brad Vorv found himself free and lofted a 25' shot past Kent Kobernus in the 97th minute, giving the Hokies the "golden goal" victory.Hokies open season with 1-0 OT win over SIUE

On a day dominated by the heat, with the game punctuated with several water breaks, SIUE and Tulsa missed numerous scoring opportunities, especially on set pieces. The Cougars scored first, with Scheipeter passing up a contested shot to hit Volesky, who faced the open net. A Cougars turnover started the action that led to the Golden Hurricane's Neil putting in a shot from a difficult angle to tie the game. Despite the two sides taking 35 shots (Tulsa leading 23–12), the game was mainly a defensive struggle, remaining tied at one goal apiece through regulation and the first extra time period. Cougar goalkeeper Kobernus made his eighth save on another shot by Neil, but when he failed to corral the ball, Barrett put the rebound into the net to give Tulsa the double-overtime "golden goal" win.

Playing a mid-week game at Memphis, the Cougars dominated the early play, with Volesky scoring off a pass from Garet Christianson. As play continued, SIUE seemed to grow complacent and careless, passing beyond intended teammates, directly at defenders, or to no one in particular. As such play continued, the Tigers gained confidence and took control in the last ten minutes of the first half. Memphis remained in control through the second half, with Khulfan scoring on a breakaway and the Tigers outshooting the Cougars 8−4 for the half. SIUE seemed to be back in control in their third extra time game in three matches. They outshot the Tigers 4–0 in the first overtime period and took the first shot of the second OT. But Ledbetter then drew his second yellow card and was ejected. Memphis, a man up, immediately applied the pressure and scored only 23 seconds after the red card, giving the Cougars their third "golden goal" loss in three games.

Hosting undefeated Butler in the first-ever meeting between the two programs, the Cougars set a school record with four consecutive extra time games for the first time in the program's 48-year history. SIUE dominated play in the first half, with Volesky scoring on a pass in the box from Hackett. On Butler's only first half threat, Kendall-Moulin fouled the Bulldog's Goldsmith in the box, with Postlewait scoring on the penalty kick. Butler came out on the offensive to start the second half, taking the first three shots, but the Cougars took charge again, yet were unable to get anything past the Bulldog's goalkeeper. In the first extra period, an SIUE player was fouled amidst a crowd directly in front of the goal mouth; the Cougar's best winning chance of the young season went astray as Volesky's penalty kick bounced off the post and away. The two sides traded possessions, with both defenses turning aside repeated attacks through the second extra time period, and the game ended with SIUE getting its first point of the season on a frustrating draw.

In a mid-week road game, the Cougars once more dominated early play, and Volesky scored his fourth goal in five games off a pass from Garet Christianson. The 'Roos had managed only a couple of long-distance shots before an uncharacteristic turnover by Polster left his SIUE teammates out of position, and UMKC scored an easy tying shot on a rebound of a missed first shot. Sloppy passing and an inability to either score on set pieces or cleanly clear the ball from the defensive end have continued to be a problem at odds with SIUE's strong soccer tradition. Repeated failures to clear set up a second UMKC goal, putting the Cougars into a position of trailing in the score during regulation time for the first time this season. Repeated failures to score on corner kick after corner kick and a Polster penalty kick that was saved by the 'Roos' goalkeeper, McGaughey, left the Cougars with one more loss.'Roos Come From Behind in Home Opening Victory Over SIUE - UMKC Athletics

Trying for a change in results, the Cougars resorted to changing from single-color uniforms to face DePaul at Korte Stadium. One thing that did change was the early game dominance by SIUE, who surrendered the first goal for the first time since the season opener, when Hunter's rocket of a pass hit Megally just outside the six yard box for an easy shot past a diving Kobernus. The Blue Demons outshot the Cougars in the first half, but SIUE picked up the action after halftime. In the sixtieth minute, Bilyeu fired a pass to a wide-open Ellis, who lofted a chip shot over the DePaul keeper to even the score. Both defenses repeatedly turned aside their opponent, and the match went into extra time for the fifth time in the Cougars' six games. SIUE escaped disaster when the defense held against a free kick from just outside the six yard box after Kobernus fouled by picking up a ball a Cougar had kicked to him, and the first extra period ended with the score still at 1–1. The Cougars stepped up the pressure further in the second overtime period, but DePaul's keeper and defense withstood the onslaught, and the game ended a draw, SIUE's second.

Opening a two-game road trip against ranked Pac-12 teams in California, the Cougars once again scored first against #24 Stanford, with Volesky tapping a loose ball to Polster in the box. Twenty minutes later, the Cardinal's Morris went to the post, drawing Kobernus to him, then tapped a pass to Glover for the tying goal. Stanford was the dominant team in the first half, outshooting the Cougars and taking several corners to the Cougars' none. On a corner kick, the Cardinal's Skundrich fired into the box to the head of Vincent, who scored the go-ahead goal. In the second half, The Cougars outplayed the Cardinal early and late, while Stanford had the better of the middle, but neither side was able to get a shot past the other's keeper, and the home team picked up the win in a game that was much closer than the two teams' records might indicate.Stanford Battles Back - GoStanford.com

On a Sunday afternoon in Berkeley, the Cougars played another closely contested match at the home of a ranked opponent, the #15 California Golden Bears, Cal scored first when Bonomo intercepted a pass in SIUE's defensive end, putting him one-on-one with Kobernus, and he scored in the 17th minute. Only four and a half minutes later, Hallisey passed to Carrera-Garcia and kept going, with Carrera-Garcia completing the give-and-go back to Hallisey and putting the Golden Bears up 2-0. SIUE had an opportunity to close the gap when the Cal goalkeeper committed a foul inside the box, but Volesky's shot was off the crossbar, and his rebound attempt was wide. The Cougars once again outshot their opponent only to have the other side's goalkeeper make repeated saves, but in the 77th minute, Polster played the ball in to Volesky, who tallied his fifth goal of the season. In another match that was tighter than the opponents' records show, SIUE came out on the short end and head into the MVC schedule while still in search of their first victory.No. 15 Cal Wins Its Fifth Consecutive Match, Beats SIUE 2-1 - California Golden Bears - University of California Official Athletic Site

Opening the MVC season on a Monday night in Evansville, the Cougars managed to accomplish three things they had not done since the preseason---keep a clean sheet, score more than one goal, and win a game. As has often been the case, SIUE dominated play, outshooting the Purple Aces 8 to 3 in the first half and 7 to 3 in the second, with only 2 of Evansville's shots being on goal and both of those saved by Kobernus. The Cougars got on the scoreboard when Volesky was taken down in the box by the Aces' keeper in the 33rd minute; Garet Christianson put the penalty kick into the open left side of the net. In the second half, briefly Evansville put on a strong showing that resulted in four consecutive corner kicks, but the SIUE defense held off the assault. In the 73rd minute, Polster found a loose ball near the top of the 18 yard box and buried it in the right side of the net to double the lead. The Cougars kept trying for additional scoring, but Evansville's keeper held firm, and SIUE had to be satisfied with the 2–0 victory.Evansville Athletics - Men's Soccer drops MVC season opener 2-0 to SIUE