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The Massachusetts men’s soccer team saw its NCAA tournament run come to a screeching halt in a 3-0 loss to No. 3 Denver, but the result should not undermine its unforgettable season.
UMass concluded the season with a 13-4-5 record, marking the school’s highest win total since 2017. The trip to the NCAA quarterfinals was the second-best tournament performance in school history, only behind the 2007 expedition to the College Cup semifinals.
The Minutemen began the tournament with a home win over Evansville before hitting the road to face a grueling list of opponents. UMass knocked off both No. 6 Penn and No. 11 Virginia in back-to-back gritty 1-0 wins before its journey came to an end in Denver.
The Minutemen were voted No. 6 in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll, just barely creeping into the upper half of the standings. They more than exceeded expectations and became the last team playing in the conference.
At the forefront of all things UMass soccer in recent years is the goal-scoring headliner Alec Hughes. The fifth-year forward opted to spend all five of his eligible seasons at the same mid-major school, a rarity in the transfer portal era. Hughes has gained respect from coaches across the college soccer landscape for his loyalty to the Minutemen.
Hughes concludes his college career as UMass’ all-time scoring leader, with 51 goals in 86 appearances. He experienced the Major League Soccer draft process following the 2023 season, but despite first-round projections, going undrafted kept him in the fold for the Minutemen. The New England Revolution hold the No. 5 pick in the upcoming 2025 MLS SuperDraft, and they’d be wise to consider keeping Hughes in the state of Massachusetts.
A massive amount of 2024’s success can be credited to the central defensive trio of center backs Matt Fordham and Aidan Kelly, who played in front of goalkeeper Alex Geczy. UMass kept clean sheets in just under half of its matches over the course of the season. Fordham constantly won important last-ditch tackles while Kelly ensured the Minutemen’s penalty area was a no-fly zone.
Geczy won numerous games almost singlehandedly between the pipes. The senior enjoyed his first season as the starter by conceding just 23 goals on the year. Geczy’s highlight of the season was his career-high seven-save performance in a 1-0 second round victory over Penn, just 30 minutes away from his hometown.
The Minutemen also boasted one of the top scoring offenses in the nation, ranking No. 9 in Division I with 44 goals for. Only the top overall seed Ohio State scored more goals than UMass out of the teams remaining in the NCAA bracket.
On the chance creation side of things, Matt Cence led the way. Cence assisted on eight goals from his midfield position, a tally that led the team by five. Cence was a crucial part of the attack and his crafty footwork accounted for a good portion of the Minutemen’s goals.
Head coach Fran O’Leary’s side can keep its heads held high after one of the best seasons in the history of UMass soccer. The manager has been at the helm for 10 years and will have quite the project in roster construction ahead of the 2025 season. Twelve players on the current roster are seniors or graduate students and the newest freshman class contained just two players.
The nature of college soccer means that a number of these athletes have played their final competitive soccer match. Some will pursue their dreams and test their luck at the professional level. Others will either return to the team or transfer elsewhere. Regardless of future plans, each and every member of Minutemen soccer in 2024 should be proud of their incredible campaign.
Cameron Pellegrino can be reached at [email protected]u and followed on X @cam_pellegrino.
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