The Ocean City Barons pulled off the biggest win in franchise history with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Real Maryland on Tuesday night in the Second Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. J.T. Noone (Temple / Harrisburg, PA) converted a penalty kick in the second period of extra time to give the Barons their second straight win over a professional opponent in the 95-year old tournament. Ocean City becomes only the sixth amateur team to ever upset back-to-back professional clubs.

Barons Lineup	School / Hometown
GK - Tunde Ogunbiyi	Boston College / Gwynedd, PA
DEF - Tyler Bellamy	St. Bonaventure / Hammonton, NJ
DEF - Kevin Curran	Loyola / Upper Township, NJ
DEF - Jimmy Davis	LaSalle (’09) / Pittsgrove, NJ
DEF - Joe Banks	Drexel (’07) / Sicklerville, NJ
MID - Karl Reddick	Boston College / Pottstown, PA
MID - Neal Melchionni	Lehigh / Marmora, NJ
MID - Rory McCrea	Hofstra / Leeds, England
MID - William Swetra	James Madison / Egg Harbor, NJ
FWD - J.T. Noone	Temple / Harrisburg, PA
FWD - Byron Carmichael	Marshall (’03) / Lumberton, NJ
Substitutes
Ryan Richter	LaSalle / Southampton, PA
Kyle Miller	Holy Cross / Woodbury, NJ
Leon Brown	Wheeling Jesuit (’04) / Sicklerville, NJ
Scoring Summary
108th (OCEAN CITY)	J.T. Noone (Penalty Kick)
Game Stats	OCEAN CITY						MARYLAND
Shots	10						6
Saves	5						6
Fouls	7						19
Offsides	6						2
Corners	7						0

The Barons, made up mostly of college players,  will travel to the Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds, MD on June 30 to face D.C. United of Major League Soccer. The game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m.

"This is undoubtadly, the biggest win and the biggest occasion in Barons history to date," said head coach Neil Holloway. "Beating two professional teams and then to move on to play one of the most famous clubs in the country in D.C. United, it’s really just incredible."

The match will be a first for both franchises as the Barons have never squared off with an MLS team and D.C. United has never played a PDL team (or any amateur team for that matter) in any of their previous 11 tournament appearances.

In the first half, the Barons proved that they belonged on the same field with the professional side from Maryland, creating a couple clear cut chances. One opportunity came off a Neal Melchionni (Lehigh / Marmora, NJ) corner kick that found the head of William Swetra (James Madison / Egg Harbor, NJ), but after ping-ponging around near the six-yard box, the Monarchs were able to clear.

Later, Melchionni’s long throw in from the left wing took a bounce in the penalty area and found Rory McCrea (Hofstra / Leeds, England) who’s sliding shot at the far post from close range was blocked by David Kern, the Maryland goalkeeper. Kern finished the match with six saves.

Both teams went into halftime scoreless, but Coach Holloway said that the confidence was there all night.

"I looked into the players eyes at halftime and after regulation, you could tell that this team was really willing to die for the cause," said Holloway. "The only question was could they put in enough effort to get the job done? I think the answer at the end of the night was one hundred percent ’yes,’"

Barons goalkeeper Tunde Ogunbiyi (Boston College / Gwynedd, PA) was strong throughout the match, making five saves and earning another Open Cup clean sheet.

The two teams continued to battle throughout the second half, with neither team able to get the upper hand, despite the added pressure that came from the USL Second Division side.

Real Maryland was dealt a major blow late in the game when Ogunbiyi collided with the Monarchs’ leading scorer Gary Brooks, forcing the Jamaican international to leave the game with an injury. He was able to walk off the field on his own power, but he was taken to a nearby hospital for further examination.

Regulation would end without a goal, sending the match into extra time. In the 108th minute, three minutes into the second overtime period, a Barons corner kick was sent to the far side of the box. Tyler Bellamy rose to meet the ball, but a Real Maryland defender beat him to it in the air. A solid defensive play, except for the part where he swatted the ball with his hand and was whistled for a penalty kick. Noone volunteered to take the spot kick and buried it to Kern’s right hand side to give the Barons the only goal they would need. 

"I like taking [penalty kicks]," said Noone after playing in the biggest match of his soccer career. "I don’t try to overthink it. I just took a deep breath and struck it well." 

After scoring the goal, the All-American from Temple University ran to the corner flag to celebrate where he was mobbed by his teammates.

"They were so excited," said Holloway. "I almost had to throw some of the players back on to the field so they didn’t get a yellow card."

 

 

Amateur clubs with 2 straight pro team upsets in the Open Cup

Michigan Bucks - 1999 1r - Austin Lone Stars (D3), 3-2 2r - Minnesota Thunder (A-Lg), 2-1 Fresno Fuego - 2003 2r - Utah Blitzz (PSL), 4-0 3r - El Paso Patriots (A-Lg), 5-2 Des Moines Menace - 2005 1r - Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2), 1-1 (DMM advance on PKs 4-2) 2r - Charleston Battery (USL-1), 3-2 3r - Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1), 5-1 Carolina Dynamo - 2006 2r - Richmond Kickers (USL-2), 1-0 3r - Seattle Sounders (USL-1), 3-2 (aet) Dallas Roma F.C. - 2006 2r - Miami F.C. (USL-1), 1-0 3r - Chivas USA (MLS), 0-0 (Dallas advances on PKs 4-2) Michigan Bucks - 2006 1r - Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2), 2-0 2r - Cincinnati Kings (USL-2), 2-1 Ocean City Barons - 2009 1r - CP Baltimore (USL-2), 3-0 2r - Real Maryland (USL-2), 1-0 (aet)

"We’re all just elated," said Barons captain Joe Banks (Drexel / Sicklerville, NJ), who has seen every Open Cup run by the club since they joined the PDL in 2003. "It doesn’t get much better than this. This might be one of the best teams we’ve ever had, maybe even better than the [undefeated] 2004 team. With a win like this it’s only going to bring us all closer together."

The Barons all-time leading scorer Byron Carmichael (Marshall / Lumberton, NJ), who was named USOpenCup.com’s Player of the Round for his First Round performance against Crystal Palace Baltimore, is the only player on the roster who has played against an MLS club. In 2003, when he suited up for the Wilmington Hammerheads of the Pro Soccer League (now the USL Second Division), he helped the club upset the Dallas Burn (now called F.C. Dallas) 4-1 to advance to the Quarterfinals where they would fall to none other than D.C. United by a score of 1-0.

"We’re going to give them a run for their money," said Carmichael. "This is a great opportunity for our club, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity for our young players to get noticed and for them to play against the best of the best."

The Barons were originally scheduled to play at the New Jersey Rangers on Wednesday, the day after the Open Cup game, but they were able to reschedule the match for Tuesday, July 7 at 7:30 p.m.

Next up for the Barons, they will host the Brooklyn Knights at the Tennessee Avenue Soccer Complex at 5:30 p.m. The game was moved because the field at Carey Stadium is being re-sodded, forcing the team to move their next two home games (Saturday, June 27 vs. Rhode Island) to Tennessee Avenue. For more information about the move, including maps to the new location, visit the Barons website at www.ocbarons.com.

Barons in the Pros: U.S. Open Cup Edition

Former Baron Ryan Heins (Temple / Medford, NJ) scored a crucial game-tying goal in the 82nd minute for the Rochester Rhinos in the club’s 2-1 Second Round win over the Cleveland City Stars. Heins fired the shot from just outside the 18-yard box and celebrated with his best snow angel impression.

A pair of former Barons player for Miami F.C., who squared off with the Charleston Battery in Miami on Tuesday. Pat Hannigan (Temple / Philadelphia, PA) and Chris Williams (Philadelphia University / Philadelphia, PA) help lead the Blues’ defense, but Williams was unable to play against the Battery due to an injury he picked up in the club’s First Round win against Lynch’s F.C. (USASA). Hannigan was in goal for Miami and the only goal he allowed was a penalty kick. Unfortunately for the Blues, they were unable to score against the Battery’s tight defense and Miami was eliminated 1-0.