:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/23919521/20130915_ms_068_sa.0.jpg)
I'm just going to come right out and say it: Akron's a bunch of crybabies.
A referee willing to call fouls for the absolute minimal amount of contact didn't help, but it started to seem that the Zips spent more time in this match with someone rolling around on the pitch than they did with all 11 men working together to try to win a soccer match, much less score a goal.
Perhaps that's the reason why Coco Navarro was able to put a beautiful touch on a perfect Paul Dillon cross in the 100th minute and beat keeper Jake Fenlason for a golden goal and give #9 seed Marquette a 1-0 win in the second round of the 2013 NCAA College Cup.
It's almost definitely the reason why Akron freshman Victor Souto was issued a red card AFTER Navarro's goal and had to be escorted away from the game officials by the Akron coaching staff with the assistance of the Marquette University Department of Public Safety. I didn't see what set Souto off - there was jumping up and down and shouting like an idiot to be done, you know - but I definitely saw Souto reaming out the refereeing crew and the head referee repeatedly showing him the red card. Whatever Souto did, it was so bad that MAC Player of the Year Aodhan Quinn came over after Souto had been dragged away and apologized, shaking each of the referees' hands in turn.
The whole match felt like one long anticipation of a Marquette goal. While the match ended fairly similar in shots (a 19-15 MU advantage), shots on goal was a different story. The Golden Eagles doubled up the Zips in that category, 10-5, forcing Fenlason to make nine saves to keep Akron in the match. While it felt like a Marquette goal was coming with every trip down the field, Akron wasn't without their chances as well. The best opportunity for the Zips came in the 76th minute when Zac Portillos beat Marquette keeper Charlie Lyon towards the right post. But Lyon and Marquette caught a friendly bounce when the shot ricocheted back into the field of play and directly to a sprawled out Lyon who was able to smother out any chance of an Akron follow up.
It's Marquette's first win in the NCAA tournament, having lost in their first match in their first two appearances. The Golden Eagles advance to the Sweet 16 and will travel to face #8 seed Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. The Cavaliers' website lists the match as starting at 1pm next Sunday, December 1. Keep your eyes and ears open for further details as they emerge.
UPDATE! MUTV has posted their recap, including a great angle of both Dillon's cross and Navarro's sliding volley. Is it just me or does Navarro break out a running variation on Eddie Guerrero's shimmy for his celebration?