Spring Break
Arad celebrates Senior Night win
Marc Gauthier
Issue date: 11/3/08 Section: Sports
In the 42nd minute of Friday night's men's soccer game, senior captain Dori Arad took the ball to the center of the goal box. He was 18 yards out, looking across into Seton Hall goalkeeper Paul McHenry.
Arad took a step, connected with the ball and fired a bullet into the box. McHenry jumped to his left and punched the ball up as everyone in Morrone Stadium watched it land harmlessly on top of the net.
In frustration, Arad turned around, dropped to his knees and slammed both fists against the cold, hard ground.
It was Senior Night, and all this senior wanted to do was score a goal. He didn't even want to score it for himself; he didn't care about the stats. All Arad wanted was to score a goal for his team.
"I thought we played great in the first half and I had a couple good shots," Arad said. "Everybody told me, 'It's coming, Dori; it's coming. You're going to score.'"
With nine minutes to go in regulation, and the score tied at 1-1, Arad wanted to prove his teammates right.
With nine minutes and five seconds to play, Tony Cascio crossed a ball into the box, where Arad was waiting. Without hesitation, Arad wound up and took a shot. This time, McHenry couldn't punch it out; all he could do was watch Arad's shot sail over his head. The ball bounced off the crossbar and spun violently into the ground as it came back out of the goal-box.
At first, there was no call, no whistle; nothing. Three thousand, two hundred and nineteen fans held their breath. Arad's chance at a goal was, once again, nothing more than a close call.
But in the corner of the field, assistant-referee Matt Mercier raised his orange flag in the air, signifying that the ball had crossed the plane.
Arad's "goal" was, in fact, a goal.
After Mercier's call, Arad didn't stand around or celebrate on the field. From the get-go, Arad knew exactly what he was going to do after he scored a goal.
"I just wanted to go to my teammates," Arad said. "They have been unbelievable this year - my last year. After I scored, I knew exactly where I was going - to my teammates and especially O.B. [O'Brian White]. He's been a very close friend of mine and he didn't play today, unfortunately. I felt for my teammates and him and I wanted to dedicate my goal to them."
Arad took a step, connected with the ball and fired a bullet into the box. McHenry jumped to his left and punched the ball up as everyone in Morrone Stadium watched it land harmlessly on top of the net.
In frustration, Arad turned around, dropped to his knees and slammed both fists against the cold, hard ground.
It was Senior Night, and all this senior wanted to do was score a goal. He didn't even want to score it for himself; he didn't care about the stats. All Arad wanted was to score a goal for his team.
"I thought we played great in the first half and I had a couple good shots," Arad said. "Everybody told me, 'It's coming, Dori; it's coming. You're going to score.'"
With nine minutes to go in regulation, and the score tied at 1-1, Arad wanted to prove his teammates right.
With nine minutes and five seconds to play, Tony Cascio crossed a ball into the box, where Arad was waiting. Without hesitation, Arad wound up and took a shot. This time, McHenry couldn't punch it out; all he could do was watch Arad's shot sail over his head. The ball bounced off the crossbar and spun violently into the ground as it came back out of the goal-box.
At first, there was no call, no whistle; nothing. Three thousand, two hundred and nineteen fans held their breath. Arad's chance at a goal was, once again, nothing more than a close call.
But in the corner of the field, assistant-referee Matt Mercier raised his orange flag in the air, signifying that the ball had crossed the plane.
Arad's "goal" was, in fact, a goal.
After Mercier's call, Arad didn't stand around or celebrate on the field. From the get-go, Arad knew exactly what he was going to do after he scored a goal.
"I just wanted to go to my teammates," Arad said. "They have been unbelievable this year - my last year. After I scored, I knew exactly where I was going - to my teammates and especially O.B. [O'Brian White]. He's been a very close friend of mine and he didn't play today, unfortunately. I felt for my teammates and him and I wanted to dedicate my goal to them."
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