SMU claimed its first-ever ACC title on Sunday, edging Virginia 1-0 in the ACC Men's Soccer Championship final.
Stephan Soghomonian drew and converted a penalty, and the Mustangs did not allow a shot on goal, securing their second shutout of the tournament, to claim the trophy. It's the 11th conference tournament championship in program history.
"I'm immensely proud. Proud of these guys and everything they went through to achieve this," SMU Head Coach Kevin Hudson said. "Proud of the staff. To think that what they've accomplished in four months takes a lot for a coach. I feel immensely grateful to be in this position, to coach at my alma mater, to have these boys deliver a trophy in year two in the ACC. Yeah, I'm immensely proud of them."
In the ACC Championship, the Mustangs faced the only three teams they didn't beat over the final seven games of the regular season. SMU turned a scoreless draw against Stanford into a 1-0 win, a 2-0 loss to Syracuse into a 5-1 victory and finished by flipping a 1-0 result against Virginia.
The 1-0 loss to Virginia on Halloween earned the Cavaliers the regular-season title. SMU's win on Sunday resulted in a trophy celebration.
"We saw the bracket when it first came out, and we saw it as a revenge tour, especially playing Syracuse and Virginia, our two losses in the regular season," senior defender Slade Starnes said. "We just put it on our wall, a hit list. Next team up, hit list. Cross it off. Next team. We played Syracuse and Virginia. There was just an extra fire inside of us because they celebrated wins against us that we felt we could have gotten more out of the game. So beating them was massive for us. (Virginia) celebrated in our faces on our field, and we took that personally."
It was just the second loss of the season for Virginia, which had a 14-match unbeaten streak going into the final. It also ended a run of nine straight matches where the Cavs scored at least one goal.
"They're a top team, but I mean, when we play to our ability, we're one of the best teams in the nation," Soghomonian said. "I truly believe that, and I think all the boys do as well. Slade told me this morning, we were sitting at breakfast, and he said, 'You do your job and I do mine, we're gonna win the ACC Championship.' And that's what we did, and we're so happy."
Soghomonian had the best chances in a scoreless first half. His shot in the 19th minute was saved, and his attempt a minute later was just high. Virginia's best chance was a pass that went across the face of the goal, but there was no one there to get on the end of it.
Jaylinn Mitchell continued to create chances as he dribbled into the box and laid it off for Soghomonian, who made a touch and then was brought down in the box. It was called a penalty, and the call was upheld upon review.
It was Soghomonian stepping to the spot and delivering off the keeper's hand into the bottom right-hand corner. It was Soghomonian's 13th goal of the season and his 12th in the last 10 games — scoring in each of the ACC tournament games.
"I think coach and the team just gave me the trust that I needed," Soghomonian said. "I always knew I could do it. So, once I got into that pitch and they gave me that responsibility, I knew I would take over. And I'm just happy I'm helping the team. That's my job."
Starnes was named the tournament MVP, as he was part of a defense that notched a pair of shutouts and only allowed one goal in the final three games of the tournament, coming on a penalty late in the 5-1 win against Syracuse. He came home to SMU for his final season for moments like this.
Starnes was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Soghomonian, Ryan Clanton-Pimentel and Martin Dominguez.
"Being from Dallas, to represent the city, and in the biggest conferences is an honor," Starnes said. "I know a lot of friends and family are back home watching the game. So it just means a lot to represent Dallas as well. They come to all the games. Some of them made the trip out here, took PTO to come. So just to represent SMU, to win ACC and have Damon Evans, the AD, here just meant a lot to us."
And while winning the ACC tournament might surprise some people, don't include anyone involved in the SMU program, past or present, on that list. The Mustangs have won 21 regular season conference titles and now have 11 conference tournament championships.
SMU has made 36 NCAA tournament appearances, reaching the quarterfinals 13 times, including last season. The Mustangs made it to the College Cup twice, in 2000 and again in 2005.
"I think there's still this connotation within the media or within the league that we're outsiders, we don't belong," Hudson said. "I mean, from football to basketball to volleyball to men's soccer, go down the list, we freaking belong.
"... This whole connotation, from everybody that, 'Man, you guys are really out-kicking your coverage.' It's bulls—, we deserve it. This program has been a top-10 program for 50 years. So long before I was the head coach, long before I played at SMU, the history and tradition of this program is wonderful."
Now the Mustangs wait to find out where they fit in the NCAA tournament bracket, which is released on Monday at noon. SMU has put itself in position to take one of the top seeds in the tournament.
The Top 16 seeds get a first-round bye and host in the second round. A Top 8 seed would also mean a home game in the second round, while a Top 4 seed would mean every game until the College Cup would be a home game.
"To go on the run we did is a special run, so I would love to be rewarded for that work," Hudson said. "But at the same time, it's not up to me. There's a committee of people who have to make that choice. We respect them, but at the same time, I don't know what more you want us to do. We played, might be, I don't know, the first, second or third hardest schedule in the country. We won the hardest tournament to win in the country. Not a whole lot else I could ask from these guys. So, yeah, I think we should be a Top four (seed)."
