Nov. 28, 1959 – First NCAA Final (St. Louis 5:2 Bridgeport) at Memorial Stadium, Storrs, Conn. (Att.: 400)

Jack Dueker scored three goals for the Bob Guelker-coached Saint Louis Billikens in the first NCAA-sanctioned soccer championship final, the game played in a strong downpour. St. Louis entered the tournament with an 8W-1L-0D record (56-6 goal differential), then defeated USF (4-0) and CCNY (6-2). Bridgeport (9-0-0) had the best record of the eight tournament teams, then eliminated Colgate (3-2) and West Chester State (2-1 AET). Williams had a 6W-0L-2D mark going into the tournament, the Ephs losing to CCNY (1-0) in the first round.

Bob Dikranian, who would coach Southern Connecticut State from 1968-89 (plus Vasco Da Gama SC, New Haven SC, et al.), scored the deciding goal for the Purple Knights against Colgate.

The Bridgeport-West Chester State game lasted 153 minutes (eight overtime periods) and was played on Nov. 26 and 27, 1959.

“It would take an all-star team picked from the other three semifinalists to give the Billikens anything like a close game,” Bridgeport coach John McKeon said.

Bridgeport would play in 12 NCAA D1 tournaments from 1959-76.

http://slubillikens.com/fls/27200/MSOC/HistoryRecords.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=27200

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY