CMC75 Moments: 2009 Men's Soccer Takes SCIAC in 87th Minute
As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you were a part of this great moment and would like to add to the memories, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moment, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.
Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
2009 Men's Soccer: CMS 2, Redlands 1 (SCIAC Finals)
The CMS men's soccer program had been a dominant SCIAC power throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including a national runner-up finish in 1983 and 17 SCIAC titles in a 20-year span from 1981-2000. Since starting off the new millennium with a first-place finish in 2000, though, the Stags had been looking to get back on top of the conference pecking order.
The SCIAC went to a tournament format in 2006 for the first time to determine the league champion. The Stags lost in the 2007 championship game 1-0 to Redlands, and then fell in double-overtime to the Bulldogs in 2008 by the same 1-0 score. A 2-0 win over top-seeded Pomona-Pitzer in the 2009 semifinals set up a third meeting with Redlands in as many years, and the two teams appeared headed to overtime again, with the score tied 1-1 late in the game, after Harrison Doyle scored the game's first goal early in the second half, before the Bulldogs answered six minutes later.
With the regulation clock winding down, CMS earned a late corner kick, and with just 3:02 remaining, David Taylor scored off of Ian Anderson's corner to give the Stags the 2-1 win and send the program back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nine years. Senior goalie Ryan Fahey (who recently returned in 2020 to take over the reins as the program's head coach) had six saves in the championship game, and added three more in a 2-1 win over UC Santa Cruz in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, when Tony Garcia's second-half goal kept the postseason run going and sent the Stags through to the second round.
Fahey was joined on the All-SCIAC first team by Doyle, Tomislav Zbozinek, and Michael Nguyentat (pictured at right), while Taylor was on the second team. The Stags, meanwhile, would go to win the SCIAC Tournament title for four years in a row from 2009-12, starting a new mini-dynasty and restoring CMS to the mantle as the top program in the league.
Harrison Doyle:
That season was a really special one. We actually started the year with two really bad losses. I believe one was to Cal State San Marcos, who beat us 3-0 at home. I remember being pretty worried that we were going to have a really rough season. We then took a trip out to Boston to play MIT and Babson, and cranked out a really good 2-1 team win over MIT in absolutely pouring rain, which I think was a bit of an early turning point for our team confidence, which we brought back home to California, carrying through the season.
In the final game of the SCIAC playoffs, I remember being really nervous before. In club soccer growing up, there isn't really a concept of soccer 'ending' as you typically have high school soccer after club season ends, then you pickup club soccer right after the high school season. And to compound that, the thought of competitive soccer ending permanently for our seniors was a terrible one. Meanwhile, Redlands was a higher seed, and certainly was the favorite. All that said, Claremont had bussed out fans for the night, so it looked like CMS fans outnumbered the Redlands fans. By the time we stepped out on the field, and could hear the fans screaming, nerves were gone and I was just fired up.
I was really proud to have scored in that game -- and one of the best goals I scored all four years. But I am not sure I had a moment of energy higher than when DT scored the winner. Roofing a volley with three minutes left, then running to our bench and sliding on his knees to the group - commence super massive dog pile. I will never forget the 10-second countdown from the field side commentator. Most exciting countdown of my life. The CMC fans rushing the field after the game was unforgettable.
Without intending to sound cliche, that team truly felt like family to me. I genuinely love all those guys. The teammates who were my age were -- and still are -- my closest friends in the world, while the upperclassmen felt like older brothers. The upperclassmen had that mix of being a close friend while also looking out for you like an older sibling, keeping you under their wing. I remember a feeling of wanting to make them proud, and carry on the traditions and culture that they had carried so well for the program. Meanwhile, Calichman was the best professor I had at Claremont. He pushed me so hard, and taught me a lot about life in addition to soccer. To succeed with a group like that, with all of those special relationships, are what made that season so special. On top of it all, as a 17-year old freshman, I felt a massive sense of pride in the trust and responsibility that group put in me.
2009 Men's Soccer Roster
Head Coach: Dan Calichman
Assistant Coaches: Matt Janusz, Cameron Miille
Walker Adams (Fr., M, CMC)
Ian Anderson (Jr., M, CMC)
Eric Bean (So., F, CMC)
Jared Bernstein (Fr., F, CMC)
Rodrigo Bravo Beneitez (Fr., M, CMC)
Lewis Corson (Jr., D, CMC)
Fredrick Doar (So., GK , CMC)
Harrison Doyle (Fr., F, CMC)
Ryan Fahey (Sr., GK, CMC)
Jake Feldman (Sr., M, HMC)
Marshall Fisher (Jr., M, CMC)
Tony Garcia (So., M, CMC)
Stefan Gonzalez (Sr., F, CMC)
Christian Paulin (So., D, CMC)
Mitchell Skotarczyk (Jr., M, CMC)
Alex Lichtenberg (So., M, CMC)
Dylan Marriner (So., D, HMC)
Michael Nguyentat (Jr., M, CMC)
Nick Sparks (Sr., D, CMC)
Joe Swartley (Jr., GK, CMC)
David Taylor (Fr., F, CMC)
Sam Ullman (So., D, CMC)
Ryan Weaver (Jr., F, CMC)
Doran Zachary (Fr., D, CMC)
Robin Zachary (Fr., D, CMC)
Tomislav Zbozinek (Sr., D, CMC)