December 26, 2009
THE YEAR’S TOP STORIES - NO. 6
Local kids make the final four

Kirk Urso of of Downers Grove helped North Carolina to the NCAA semi finals. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Sports Information

College post season action was kind of slim in the Chicago area, but that’s why a couple of local kids, Kirk Urso and David Meves making it to the NCAA Men’s College Cup Semi-Finals is No. 6 on the ChicagoLand Soccer News countdown of the top ten stories of 2009.

David Meves, the Akron keeper and Urso, of the North Carolina Tar Heels, have known each other since childhood, and played on the same Chicago Sockers FC club together before going off to college.

They got to face each other in the College Cup Semi final, which was won by Akron in penalty kicks after a scoreless game.

With North Carolina trailing in the shootout, Urso had the Tar Heels last shot. Meves made a save on the shot by Urso, but could not control the ball, and it went into the net, setting up the deciding kick by Blain Gavin to help the Zips advance.

The Zips defense has been a key to their record season, and Meves, a native of Arlington Heights (Christian Brothers Academy) was a big part of that, starting every game as a freshman.

Meves only allowed seven goals in 25 games and broke UA’s single-season shutout record of 14. Meves posted six straight shutouts at one point during the season.

After holding North Carolina scoreless for 110 minutes, Meves held the Virginia Cavaliers scoreless for 110 minutes two days later, but this time, Akron fell in penalty kicks 3-2, despite a pair of clutch saves by Meves.

After being named to the freshman all-america team last year, Urso helped lead the Tar Heels into the final four. In the quarterfinal against Drake, Urso and Alex Dixon each scored over a three-minute span in the second half to lift No. 5 seed North Carolina to a 2-1 win over Drake at Fetzer Field.
Urso, who played with the U.S. U-17 Team at the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea, scored the game-winning goal against Belgium to send the United States to the second round.