The last two times the University of Tampa hosted the NCAA Division II Final Four in 1994 and 2001, the Spartans finished with national championships. The 2008 Spartans team went into Friday's semifinal match against Cal State Dominguez Hills with a 9-0 home record this season, but a golden goal from Toros midfielder Scott Mariano stopped both of those streaks and ended the Spartans' season.
Mariano sent a shot to the left of leaping Spartans goalkeeper Ryan Thompson, but the ball rolled off of the junior's fingers and into the net for the 3-2 final.
"I don't know that there is a thing you could've done about any of the goals tonight," UT coach Adrian Bush said. "I think maybe with the first one we caught them a little off guard, but they settled in nicely."
The first goal Bush spoke of came as it took little time for the Spartans to open the scoring as Ryan Maxwell struck 19 seconds into the match. After a slew of action inside the Toros box led to a scramble on both sides, Toros goalkeeper Miguel Benitez got two hands on the ball above his hands only to have it slip away and Spartans midfielder David Mitchell passed to Maxwell, who sent the ball in on a header.
The Toros evened the score in the 22{+n}{+d} minute on a right footer by Greg Piechota assisted by Mariano. Seven minutes later, Spartans goal and assist leader Pascal Milien caused a few of the Tampa faithful to hold their breath as he spent a few moments on the ground obviously bothered by his left shoulder, which he sprained two weeks ago in the Spartans' last game against Tusculum. However, Milien popped up and less then a minute later sent a crisp pass to Lister Warren, who scored.
"I knew we couldn't give up because of anything," Milien said of his injury. "In the back of my head I knew I had to keep focused."
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