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Darius Madison's junior season has fallen well short of expectations but the Virginia forward will have a chance to showcase his talent on college soccer's biggest stage this weekend in Cary, North Carolina, after his Cavaliers pulled off a remarkable comeback in the nation's capital Saturday afternoon.
Georgetown and Union Academy alumni Keegan Rosenberry, Melvin Snoh and Brett Campbell were 54 seconds away from punching a ticket to the College Cup when Todd Wharton rescued the Hoyas with a late equalizer. Austin Martz had given the Hoyas a 1-0 advantage in the 59th minute when he sent a rebound off a Rosenberry shot attempt into the back of the net.
Two scoreless overtimes gave way to a penalty shootout - one of three in Elite Eight games over the weekend - and after nine straight makes by both sides, a Georgetown miss put Virginia through for the 12th time in program history. Madison, who missed the first three games of the season with an injury and has scored just three times this season, played 96 minutes in the game but didn't play at all in overtime or take a penalty kick.
With the loss, Rosenberry finished his junior season starting all 23 games for the Hoyas while scoring the first two goals of his career. The Ronks native has started 69 of Georgetown's 70 games during his three years, scoring two goals and adding 7 assists. Campbell finished the season without a goal or an assist in 21 games (1 start) and Snoh finished the year with a goal and two assists in 20 games (3 starts).
Defender Andrew Herr and Michigan State were the lone team to lose in Elite Eight play, conceding three goals to Providence in their second straight attempt to make the program's first College Cup. Her started all 23 games for the Spartans and had 1 assist playing out of the right back position.
UMBC advanced on penalties after a scoreless draw with North Carolina to make the first College Cup in program and conference history. The Retrievers are the first unseeded team to make it to the final weekend of the tournament since Charlotte made it to the final in 2011.
UCLA blew a 3-1 lead on 10-men North Carolina and had to settle for a penalty kick win to return to the College Cup for the first time since 2011. Colton Storm missed his sixth straight game for the Tar Heels. He last appeared in North Carolina's 6-2 win over Georgia Southern on October 28, playing 22 minutes off the bench and finished his sophomore season with 15 games, 9 starts and 1 assist.
Madison and Virginia will play UMBC in the 5 p.m. game on Friday night, followed by Providence and UCLA. Both games will be on ESPNU and the WatchESPN app. Sunday's final will be at noon on ESPNU and WatchESPN. Madison has yet to score in the postseason and the Retrievers have not conceded a goal yet in their four tournament victories.