Happy teammates congratulate sophomore Eddie Diazmunoz after he scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal in Uni's 1-0 victory over Blue Ridge at the annual Uni High Soccer Shoot Out on Saturday, Aug. 25. Gargoyle photo by Sindha Agha (click to enlarge)

(For the complete photo gallery of the Soccer Shoot Out, click here.)

URBANA — Forward Eddie Diazmunoz, playing in his first varsity season, gave the Uni boys the only goal they needed as they won their second game of the 2007 Soccer Shoot Out, defeating the Blue Ridge Knights 1-0 this afternoon at the DCR Soccer Complex.

The Illineks are one victory away from winning their seventh consecutive Shoot Out championship. The Illineks will play Fisher at 4:15 p.m. in the season-opening tournament’s final game. Uni began the tourney with a 5-1 win over Oakwood this morning.

The Knights entered the contest fresh off a morning victory themselves, having downed Fisher 4-1.

Despite a scoreless deadlock that lasted well into the second half, the Illineks dominated most of the action. Uni head coach Phil Anders estimated that his team kept the ball in Blue Ridge’s half of the field about 90 percent of the time.

In fact, Uni recorded 23 shots on goal, including 16 in the first half.

Still, Anders wasn’t pleased with his team’s play.

Diazmunoz, a sophomore, scored the only goal Uni needed when he looped a shot past Blue Ridge’s goalkeeper with 7 minutes, 35 seconds left to play. Junior Holden Bucher came through with the assist.

Meanwhile, Isaac Radnitzer continued to show signs that, as Anders put it, he may well be one of the area’s top goalkeepers.

Against the Knights the senior made 13 saves, including 8 in the second half, as he recorded his first shutout of the year. In the day’s first game, Radnitzer turned away 6 Oakwood shots and gave up only 1 goal.

Anders also had high praise for Uni’s defenders, singling out a crucial play that senior T.J. Bozada made in the first half when he cleared away a dangerous Blue Ridge shot.

But as the Illineks get ready for their last match of the day, Anders wants his team to get back to disciplined ball control.

“In the first game [against Oakwood] we had 15 minutes where we played well,” he said. “But that [against Blue Ridge] wasn’t a good game.”

2007 UNI HIGH SOCCER SHOOT OUT

Second Game: UNI vs. Blue Ridge

UNI 1, Blue Ridge 0

UNI SCORING

Second half, 7 minutes, 35 seconds left: Eddie Diazmunoz, with Holden Bucher assist

UNI FINAL STATS

Eddie Diazmunoz, 1 goal

Holden Bucher, 1 assist

Isaac Radnitzer, 13 saves (5 in first half, 8 in second)

First Game: UNI vs. Oakwood

UNI 5, Oakwood 1

UNI SCORING

First half, 9 minutes left: Dan Lilly, with Sam Imlay assist

First half, 7 minutes left: Holden Bucher, with Stephen Prochaska assist

SCORE AT HALFTIME: UNI 2, Oakwood 1

Second half, 17 minutes left: Jake Seeley, with Sam Imlay assist

Second half, 6 minutes left: Sam Imlay, with Jake Seeley assist

Second half, 2 minutes left: Dan Lilly, with David Hjelmstad assist

UNI FINAL STATS

Dan Lilly, 2 goals

Sam Imlay, 1 goal, 2 assists

Jake Seeley, 1 goal, 1 assist

Holden Bucher, 1 goal

David Hjelmstad, 1 assist

Stephen Prochaska, 1 assist

Isaac Radnitzer, 6 saves (3 in each half)