| Messiah College Falcons (No. 4 NSCAA / No. 2 D3Soccer.com) |
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Location: Grantham, PA
Coach: Brad McCarty (8th season, 166-10-9 at Messiah entering weekend)
2016 Record: 19-0-3 Overall, 8-0 MAC Commonwealth
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 27th (78-14-5 all-time record entering weekend)
2016 First Round: 6-0 win over Centenary University
2016 Second Round: 2-0 win over Christopher Newport University
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Messiah as a Team in Top-40 National Statistics: The Falcons are third in goals against average (0.39) and won-lost-tied percentage (0.932), fourth in shutout percentage (0.68), eighth in shots per game (21.41), 12th in assists (50), 13th in points (170), 14th in goals (60), 18th in shots on goal per game (9.64), 23rd in assists per game (2.27) and points per game (7.73), 26th in scoring offense (2.73), and 34th in save percentage (0.827).
Messiah Players in Top-40 National Statistics: Kirby Robbins is second in game-winning goals (8); Connor Bell is fourth in GAA (0.33), 16th in save percentage (0.854), and 17th in goalie minutes played (1905:12); Colby Thomas is 19th in assists (11) and 24th in assists per game (0.55); Jacob Bender is 23rd in game-winning goals (5).
How the Falcons got here: Messiah won the MAC Commonwealth Championship for the 16th time in program history, and they're back in the NCAA Tournament after seeing their 18-year streak of appearances snapped last season. Over the weekend the Falcons posted back-to-back shutouts to open the NCAA Tournament and they now have 10 shutouts in their last 11 matches.
Scouting the Falcons: Messiah is balanced from back to front, and their possession-oriented play is the key to their success. This year's Falcons can score goals (60 total) and they've been effective at limiting both chances (5.9 shots allowed) and tallies (nine goals allowed) to their opponents. The Falcons have also given up just 40 corners this season, indicative of their ability to get our of their end when needed.
Conference Offensive Player of the Year Jacob Bender (12g, 8a) leads the team with 32 points, and he put through the game-winner in the Second Round win over Christopher Newport. Kirby Robbins (13g, 4a) is just behind at 30 points, and Colby Thomas (7g, 11a), Nick West (6g, 10a), and Will Cochran (4g, 3a) are also in double-digit points. David Alejos (2g, 5a) is just behind with nine points, and he's also dished out an assist in each of the Messiah's NCAA games thus far.
The Falcons' back line is led by Josh bender, Justin Brautigam, Dakota Rosenberg, and Shay Quintin, and the team has posted 15 shutouts overall. Connor Bell has started all 22 games in goals and holds a 0.33 GAA and .854 save percentage. Of note, two of the seven goals Bell has given up this season have come on penalty kicks, though he came up with a huge save on a PK offering against CNU when the game was still just 1-0 in favor of Messiah.
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| Calvin College Knights (No. 16 NSCAA / No. 6 D3Soccer.com) |
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Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Coach: Ryan Souders (5th season, 92-14-6 at Calvin entering weekend)
2016 Record: 20-2 Overall, 13-1 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA)
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 15th (20-13-6 all-time record entering the weekend)
2016 First Round: 1-0 win over Ohio Northern University
2016 Second Round: 1-0 win over Carnegie Mellon University
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Calvin as a Team in Top-40 National Statistics: The Knights are fifth in team goals against average (0.45), assists (60), points (200), and won-lost-tied percentage (0.909), sixth in shutout percentage (0.64) and goals (70), seventh in assists per game (2.73), eighth in points per game (9.09), ninth in scoring offense (3.18), and 23rd in save percentage (0.841).
Calvin Players in Top-40 National Statistics: Nate Van Ryn is seventh in GAA (0.460), eighth in goalie minutes played (1958:01), and 28th in save percentage (0.841); Mitch Stark is 14th in assists (12) and 28th in assists per game (0.55); Bobby McCaw is 23rd in game-winning goals (5) and 39th in goals (14); Matt Hinds is 37th in assists (9).
How the Knights got here: Calvin won the MIAA Championship with convincing wins over Albion (7-1) and Alma (4-2) to qualify for their ninth NCAA Tournament in the past 10 years. Both of the Knights' NCAA wins are by 1-0 scores, even as they were outshot by Carnegie Mellon (9-8) in the Second Round.
Scouting the Knights: Calvin is riding a 10-game win streak, and they've been successful this year thanks to balanced and imposing offensive and defensive schemes. They've posted 14 shutouts in 22 games and allowed just 10 total goals to opponents, all while notching 70 tallies of their own. Sophomore Bobby McCaw (14g, 3a) leads eight double-digit scorers with 31 points and five game-winners, and he's scored six goals in his last four games. McCaw has also scored both of the Knights' NCAA goals this season. Midfielder Ian Adams (12g, 3a) was the MIAA Newcomer of the Year and is second on the team with 27 points, while senior midfielder Stephan Hooker (8g, 3a) was named the MIAA Most Valuable Player. Jacob White (7g, 5a) and Mitch Stark (4g, 12a) are also in that mix, and Stark's facilitation skills evidenced not only by his total numbers but also by a stretch of six games this season in which he collected eight helpers.
Keeper Nate Van Ryn has started all 22 games and played all but 22 minutes for the Knights this season. He carries a 0.46 GAA with a .841 save percentage and 12 total shutouts.
Of note, Messiah is playing Calvin for the second time in program history; the Falcons and Knights first met in the 2009 National Championships game, with Messiah winning 2-0. Calvin head coach Ryan Souders is also familiar with Messiah from his playing days at Wheaton College where he was the starting goalkeeper on a Thunder team that lost to Messiah in the 2006 National Championship. Sounders' wife, Kacie (Kylnstra) is also a former Messiah women's soccer player and was a member of National Championship teams in 2005 and 2008.
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| SUNY Cortland Red Dragons (No. 6 NSCAA / No. 12 D3Soccer.com) |
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Location: Cortland, NY
Coach: Steve Axtell (5th season, 67-27-5 at SUNY Cortland entering the weekend)
2016 Record:19-2 Overall, 8-1 State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC)
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 16th (22-15-9 all-time record entering the weekend)
2016 First Round: 5-1 win over Morrisville State College
2016 Second Round: 2-1 win over Scranton University
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SUNY Cortland as a Team in Top-40 National Statistics: The Red Dragons are second in save percentage (0.896), fifth in shutout percentage (0.67), sixth in team goals against average (0.48) and won-lost-tied percentage (0.905).
SUNY Cortland Players in Top-40 National Statistics: Connor Young is first in save percentage (0.941) and third in GAA (0.283); Nick Tata is fourth in game-winning goals (7).
How the Red Dragons got here: SUNY Cortland rebounded from back-to-back losses in mid-September to set a program record with 19 wins and advance to the Sectional Semifinals for the second time in three seasons. They're riding a 14-game win streak—one shy of their program record set in both 1959 and 1960—that included back-to-back 1-0 wins in the SUNYAC Semifinal (Buffalo State) and SUNYAC Final (Oneonta State). The Red Dragons actually went down 1-0 to Morrisville State in the First Round, but scored five answered goals to set-up a 2-1 decision over Scranton.
Scouting the Red Dragons: SUNY Cortland has outscored opponents 47-10 this season, even as they've given up an average of 11.1 shots per game. Opponents have also earned 81 corners against the Red Dragons, but Cortland has thus far been able to limit damage. Nick Tata (11g, 4a) leads the team with 26 points and seven game winners, with three others—Tyler Kirschner (6g, 6a), Daniel Friend (6g, 4a), and Chris Hettler (3g, 4a)—also in double-digit scoring.
The Red Dragons employ two different keepers, Connor Young and Joe Brandofino. Young has appeared in more games (15-7), made more starts (14-7), carries a better GAA (0.28 – 0.87), and holds a higher save percentage (.941 - .778), and he's also taken over as starter since the team's loss at SUNY Oneonta on Sept. 23.
If both SUNY Cortland and Messiah advance, they would face each other in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the Sectional Semifinals in 2014 when Messiah won 6-0.
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| Franklin & Marshall College Diplomats (No. 14 NSCAA / No. 17 D3Soccer.com) |
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Location: Lancaster, PA
Coach: Dan Wagner (15th season, 170-75-36 at Franklin & Marshall entering the weekend)
2016 Record: 14-3-4 Overall, 7-1-1 Centennial Conference
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 7th (10-6 all-time record entering the weekend)
2016 First Round: 1-0 win over Geneva College
2016 Second Round: 2-0 win over Washington and Lee University
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Franklin & Marshall as a Team in Top-40 National Statistics: The Diplomats are 21st in team goals against average (0.68), 22nd in save percentage (0.842), 33rd in won-lost-tied percentage (0.762), and 37th in shutout percentage (0.48).
Franklin & Marshall Players in Top-40 National Statistics: David Reingold is 11th in goalie minutes played (1932:45), 13th in save percentage (0.859), and 15th in GAA (0.605).
How the Diplomats got here: Franklin & Marshall is making their fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament thanks to an at-large bid. The Diplomats' up-and-down season started 5-1-3, but they've gone 9-2-1 since. That streak included a run into the Centennial Conference Championship where they lost 2-1 to Haverford. The Diplomats justified the at-large selection with back-to-back shutouts over Geneva (1-0) and Washington & Lee (2-0) in the NCAA Tournament thus far.
Scouting the Diplomats: F&M earned a program-record seven all-conference honors this season, and they've been successful thanks to timely goals and a stingy defense. The Diplomats have outscored opponents 39-15, and they have three double-digit scorers: Jason Tonelli (10g, 2a), Robert Maze (9g), and Ugo Okelie (3g, 8a). Tonelli and Maze each have four game-winners. The offensive numbers may seem wanting, but the attack is balanced as three other players have also dished out at least three assists.
Keeper Dave Reingold has started all 21 games for the Diplomats and played all but 56 minutes this season. He holds a 0.61 GAA with a .859 save percentage, and he's collected multiple saves in all but two games this season, including a 15-save effort against Johns Hopkins in a the Centennial Conference Semifinals.
If both F&M and Messiah advance, they would face each other in a rematch of the 2013 Sectional Final when Messiah won 4-1. Fans who remember that game no doubt remember, too, that Diplomats head coach Dan Wagner is a former Falcon himself, having played with Messiah in the early 1990's; Wagner was a three-time captain of the Falcons and was also a three-time All-Conference performer.
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