Interview with UMKC coach Ryan Pore

It has been a very successful season for the Kansas City Men’s Soccer team. They finished second in the Summit League Conference play, The Roos won the Summit League Championship on the road, defeating Denver by a score of 2-1. Denver has been a traditional power in the Summit League and is nationally ranked. When the Roos took them down as their stadium, Denver was ranked No. 2 in the Top Drawer Soccer poll and No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches poll.

Denver is never easy to beat but UMKC split the season matchups, both winning at home. In the Championship match, Sam Bassett thrilled a large home crowd when he put the Pioneers ahead off a counterattack in the 15th minute.

UMKC didn’t put their heads down and notched an equalizer in the 28th minute. It was from their only corner kick of the first half. Guille Munoz flicked the ball from Julien Le Bourdoulous towards the goal mouth. A fortunate deflection from UMKC captain Bryson Gosch made it level at 1-1 at halftime.

The second half saw Denver throwing what they could at the Roos with five shots but none on goal. The Roos put a dagger in Denver’s heart when they scored with just 13 seconds left in regulation time. Elie Kisoka’s 90th-minute goal came off another corner kick from Julien Le Bourdoulous. It was UMKC’s first title-game victory since 2008.Both teams will make the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament and are anxiously waiting to find out where they are in the bracket. The Roos earned the automatic qualifier, The Pioneers   own the No. 3 RPI in the country and will both be participants when the 48-team field is announced.

𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙉𝙊𝙒 your 2024 #SummitMSOC Champions, @KCRoosMSoccer‼️

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— The Summit League (@TheSummitLeague) November 17, 2024

Bryson Gosch, Kansas City
Ben Smith, Denver
Elie Kisoka, Kansas City
Oje Ofunrein, Denver
Julien Le Bourdoulous, Kansas City (MVP)
Trevor Wright, Denver
Miguel Fernandez, Kansas City

2024 Individual Awards
Offensive Player of the Year
Elie Kisoka, Kansas City
Midfielder of the Year
Sam Bassett, Denver
Defensive Player of the Year
Ronan Wynne, Denver
Goalkeeper of the Year
Isaac Nehme, Denver
Newcomer of the Year
Elie Kisoka, Kansas City
Coach of the Year
Ryan Pore, Kansas City

2024 All-Summit League Teams
First Team
All-League First Team
F: Elie Kisoka, Kansas City
F: Luis Flores, Oral Roberts
F: Oje Ofunrein, Denver
MF: Sam Bassett, Denver
MF: Ben Smith, Denver
MF: Julien Le Bourdoulous, Kansas City
D: Ronan Wynne, Denver
D: Ian Smith, Denver
D: Fernando Somolinos Bravo, Kansas City
D: Schinidier Mimy, Oral Roberts
GK: Isaac Nehme, Denver

All-League Second Team
F: Bryce Willoughby, Denver
F: Faris Colic, St. Thomas
F: Omar Mora, Oral Roberts
F: Italo Jenkins, Omaha
MF: Theo Klein, Omaha
MF: Raphael Kistmann, Kansas City
MF: Thore Boehm, Omaha
D: Trevor Wright, Denver
D: Baptiste Boit, Oral Roberts
D: Naz Astwood, Omaha
GK: Nathanael Sallah, Omaha

Honorable Mention
F: Hector Taboada, Kansas City
F: Jeremy Francou, Kansas City
F: Jose Estrada, Oral Roberts
MF: Koduo Tweneboa, Oral Roberts
MF: Benjamin Morgan, Oral Roberts
MF: Mathias Baucher, Kansas City
MF: Gabrielle Galluccio, Kansas City
D: Bryson Gosch, Kansas City
D: Wesley Cribb, Kansas City
D: Brevyn Cole, Kansas City
GK: Joao Mesquita, Oral Roberts

All-Newcomer Team
F: Elie Kisoka, Kansas City
F: Italo Jenkins, Omaha
F: Jeremy Francou, Kansas City
F: Omar Mora, Oral Roberts
MF: Raphael Kistmann, Kansas City
MF: Elie Bokota, Omaha
MF: Mathias Baucher, Kansas City
D: Fernando Somolinos Bravo, Kansas City
D: Sahai Williams, Omaha
D: Wesley Cribb, Kansas City
GK: Brandon McGaugh, Kansas City