It was a quick introduction into the 2014 NCAA College Cup Tournament for Timbers Academy alumni and their respective collegiate programs as the University of Akron, Oregon State and Stanford were all bounced from the annual competition in the first two rounds.
Forward Anthony Macchione played 33 minutes as a substitute and midfielder Jesse Garcia-Aguilar started and played 45 minutes, including firing off one shot on goal, but the Zips lost in a marathon penalty kick shootout, 13-12, against in-state rival Ohio State on Nov. 20 in the tournament’s opening round. Akron grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute before the Buckeyes netted the equalizer in the 67th minute. Macchione and Garcia-Aguilar, both Timbers Academy products, each turned in solid debut seasons for the Zips.
Timbers Academy alumni Spencer Kleweno and Rolando Velazquez did not see action for Oregon State during the tournament, but Timbers U-23s defender Will Seymore, who scored one goal in nine appearances for Portland during the 2014 PDL season, started and played 90 minutes for the Beavers in a 1-0 first-round win over the University of Denver on Nov. 20. The win was Oregon State’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. Seymore logged 90 minutes again for Oregon State in a 1-0 second-round loss against No. 12-seed Creighton on Nov. 23. Creighton’s game-winning goal was tallied by Timbers U-23s midfielder Lucas Stauffer in the 50th minute. Stauffer appeared in five matches for the Timbers U-23s in 2014, while fellow Bluejays and Timbers U-23s teammate Jose Ribas (9 appearances for Portland in 2014), logged 90 minutes in the match. Creighton plays host to Xavier on Nov. 30 at 11 a.m. (Pacific) in the third round.
Freshman forward Foster Langsdorf, a standout for the Timbers Academy during the 2013-14 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season, registered seven minutes of action as a substitute as No. 6-seed Stanford sustained a 1-0 upset in overtime against UC Irvine in a second-round match on Nov. 23.
The University of North Carolina reached the third round as Timbers U-23s goalkeeper Brendan Moore (3-2-1 record, 2 shutouts for the Timbers U-23s in 2014) helped guide the Tar Heels to a 6-0 win over James Madison in the first round and a 2-1 upset over No. 10-seed Charlotte in the second round. UNC, which also features Timbers U-23s midfielder Omar Holness, squares off against No. 7-seed Clemson and Timbers U-23s defender Kyle Fisher (11 appearances for Portland in 2014) on Nov. 30 at 3 p.m. (Pacific).
Timbers U-23s captain Fatai Alashe and No. 3-seed Michigan State reached the third round with a 1-0 win over Oakland on Nov. 23. The Spartans face off against No. 14-seed Washington, whose roster contains Timbers Academy alumni James Nosack, on Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. (Pacific).
