December 29 (1972)

St. Louis University successfully completes its mission by reclaiming the NCAA national championship with a 4-2 victory over UCLA in the championship game in Miami. Almost exactly a year earlier, the Billikens lost in the NCAA final to Howard, 3-2, for their first defeat in 45 games. Howard later was stripped of the title for using ineligible players. Howard and SLU collided in the 1972 semifinals, with the Bills winning, 2-1, on Dan Counce’s goal in sudden-death overtime. In the final against UCLA, Counce opens the scoring at 41:52, and the Bills go up 2-0 on a goal by Denny Hadican early in the second half. Emotions erupt after UCLA’s Tekeda Alemu cuts the Bruins’ deficit to 2-1 15 minutes into the second half. Alemu and Bills’ defender Hadican throw punches and players from both benches stream onto the field. It takes 15 minutes to restore order, and two Bills’ starters leave the match with injuries. Goalkeeper Chuck Zorumski needs stitches for a split lip, and Bruce Hudson departs with a mild concussion. Mike Seerey, the 1971 Hermann Trophy winner as college soccer’s top player, tallies twice 61 seconds apart to make the score 4-1 and clear the path to the Bills’ ninth NCAA title. The Bruins go down fighting. Solomon Terfa sees a red card for a flagrant foul on Dale Harmon in the 79th minute, and Hadican is carried off on a stretcher four minutes later after being kicked in the groin. The victory gives the Bills a 15-2-3 record in a season that sees them outscore their opponents, 62-12. Seerey will win his second Hermann Trophy and Counce will be named the tournament’s most valuable offensive player. Counce will win the 1973 Hermann Trophy, the fifth consecutive trophy for the Billikens in a streak started by Al Trost’s Hermann Trophies in 1969-70.