University of Delaware Athletics
University of Delaware
Elon
Delaware Caps Historic Day with 2-1 Victory Over Elon to Clinch Program?s First CAA Regular Season Title
11/2/2014 4:40:00 PM | Men's Soccer
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware men's soccer team braved the blustery conditions at Stuart and Suzanne Grant Stadium Sunday afternoon to defeat Elon 2-1 in a physical contest and earn its first ever Colonial Athletic Association regular season championship.
From the official dedication of Stuart and Suzanne Grant Stadium before the game, to Delaware's 2-1 victory, Sunday was a historic day for the UD men's soccer program.
Ian HennessyDelaware and Elon entered the game knowing the winner would earn the league's regular season title and No. 1 seed for the upcoming CAA Tournament. Delaware will now host the CAA semifinals and championship game Nov. 14-16 at Grant Stadium. The conference champion earns an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.
The Blue Hens captured the CAA Tournament title in 2011 under Hennessy after placing fourth during the regular season. The regular season title is the first for the Blue Hens since joining the CAA in 2002 and its first since capturing the East Coast Conference Western Section title in 1983.
The Blue Hens (12-5-1, 5-2-1 CAA) got on the board first when Guillermo Delgado converted a 
perfect Ben Asante pass for his 12th goal of the season to give UD the early 1-0 lead. Delgado's 12 goals are the most in the CAA in the regular season and ranks him tied for third nationally.
Delaware added to its lead at the 37:34 when senior Kyle Bruno, who had just entered the game less than a minute earlier, tallied his third and most important goal of the year to give the Blue Hens the all-important two-goal advantage. Delgado provided the assist.
“On that goal I wanted to celebrate as much as I could, but I was too tired,” said Bruno, who was honored before the game as part of the Senior Day ceremony that honored the eight Blue Hen seniors. “I was just in the right place at the right time, and I was happy I could convert. To score a goal in a huge game like this is what you play for.”
Delaware went to the intermission with a 2-0 lead, but with the wind at their back, the Phoenix came out strong in the second half.
Elon (9-5-4, 4-2-2 CAA), playing its first season in the CAA, scored 17 minutes into the second half when UD's Kyle Nuel attempted to head the ball out of play, but the ball found the back of the net for an own goal.
The Blue Hens had to overcome several injuries as Elon increased its pressure in the offensive zone in the final 20 minutes of the game. Joe Dipre and Bruno both went down with injuries midway through the second half, leaving an undermanned UD team to protect the one-goal lead.
Much of the action in the latter part of the second half took place around the Delaware goal, but timely defense from the Blue Hens prevented the Elon equalizer and UD held on for the 2-1 win.
“It was our goal at the beginning of the season to host the CAAs in our new stadium and it feels great to accomplish what we set out to do,” said University of Delaware goalkeeper Borja Barbero, who recorded three saves in Sunday's winning effort. “Elon was in the box for a lot of the second half because of the wind, but the heart of our defense really showed and helped us get the win.”
Before the game, the University of Delaware officially dedicated Stuart and Suzanne Grant Stadium. The Grant's historic gift of $1.5 million funded extensive renovations to the facility with the input of a press box and new bleachers. Delaware Governor Jack Markell, University of Delaware President Patrick Harker, University of Delaware At
hletic Director Eric Ziady, Stuart Grant, and Hennessy all spoke at the pregame ceremony.
With Sunday's victory, the Blue Hens earned the No. 1 seed in the upcoming CAA Tournament. UNCW earned the No. 2 seed and will take on the winner of Hofstra vs. James Madison game (Nov. 8) in the CAA semifinals Nov. 14 at Delaware. The Blue Hens will host the winner of the Elon vs. Northeastern quarterfinal matchup (Nov. 8) on Nov. 14.
Joining Bruno, Barbero, Asante, and Nuel among the honored seniors were Tobias Müller, Ignacio Martín, Bill Boyer, and Roberto Giménez. Müller and Martín are starters who missed the game due to injuries.
