DAYTON, Ohio. – By his own admission, goalkeeper John McCarthy has had an up-and-down senior season.

McCarthy was tabbed one of the nation's top-10 returning goalkeepers by Top Drawer Soccer over the summer after leading the Atlantic 10 in saves three consecutive years. He came into this season with 23 career shutouts, most in La Salle history, and already ranked in the top-five in saves and games played.

But for the majority of the regular season, his numbers were pedestrian, ranking in the middle of the pack in the A -10 in most statistical categories.

"I had higher expectations for my senior year, personally, but as an overall team I couldn't be more satisfied," McCarthy said on Wednesday, whose team went 5-2-1 in regular season A-10 play, its best finish since his freshman year.

After a slow start, McCarthy's season began to pick up steam, capped by back-to-back shutouts against Fordham and George Washington last weekend behind 17 combined saves. He finished the regular season with an A-10 high 98 saves and a 5.76 saves per mark that ranked ninth nationally. He was named first-team all-Atlantic 10 as a result.

McCarthy's squad earned the fourth seed in the conference playoffs, and were set to squre off against fifth-seeded Dayton on its home field. The Flyers snarled La Salle's senior day with a 3-2 overtime victory on November 3. McCarthy made only one save in the loss.

He made 12 on Thursday night – and two more in penalty kicks that helped cement his team's advance into the second round.

"All day today I was sweating," an exhausted McCarthy said post-game. "I don't know if that was because I've been sick the past week and a half but I kept thinking I can't have my career end today, I can't."

If it had ended today, McCarthy would rank first in La Salle history in shutouts (28) and second in saves (462). He's one shy of tying Stash Graham (2001-04) for most in program history. His numbers have crept into the NCAA record book as well, ranking 19^th in saves and 21^st in shutouts.

But it didn't. Instead, he turned in a herculean performance, arguably the best of his college career.

"He [John] came up huge for us," A-10 Offensive Player of the Year Jason Plumhoff said post-game. "He saved two penalty kicks. There's not much more I can say. He's a brilliant goalkeeper and that's why he's on the first-team [all-A-10]."

Brilliant would be putting it mildly. A few of McCarthy's 12 saves he had no business making, especially with the grass area in front of both nets looking more like a mine field than a soccer field.

In fact, the Explorers lone goal of the game, scored by Plumhoff, came off a mishap from Dayton goalkeeper Chris Froschauer who mishandled a pass off the bumpy turf.

McCarthy had no such mishaps. Remarkably, only one of Dayton's 31 shots found the back of the net. 

"In the team huddle before the game, I told the guys you could be another La Salle team that went down in every A-10 Tournament, and I've been through the experience, or you can be a dynasty and we can start it today," McCarthy said.

La Salle took its first step toward that goal on Thursday night. They will take on top-seeded Saint Louis on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

McCarthy and his teammates will approach the game the same way they approached Thursday's – with a simple motto.

"Keep the dream alive."