| Messiah College Falcons (No. 4 NSCAA / No. 2 D3Soccer.com) |
|
|
Location: Grantham, PA
Coach: Brad McCarty (8th season, 164-10-9 at Messiah entering the weekend)
2016 Record: 17-0-3, 8-0 MAC Commonwealth
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 27th
Last NCAA Tournament Result: 2014 Sectional Final, lost 1-0 to Tufts (at Muhlenberg) |
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. The Falcons' conference title came by way of a 4-1 win over Lebanon Valley last Saturday.
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 (52 total) and they've been effective at limiting both chances (5.8 shots allowed) and tallies (nine goals allowed) to their opponents. Eight of those nine goals came in the second-half, however, and the Falcons would do well to limit that number moving forward.
Conference Offensive Player of the Year Jacob Bender (11g, 7a) leads the way with 29 points, and Kirby Robbins (12g, 3a) is just behind him with 27 points. Nick West (6g, 9a) and Colby Thomas (5g, 10a) have also hit 20-plus points, and those four are the only Falcons in double-digit scoring.
The Falcons' back line is led by Josh Bender, Justin Brautigam, Dakota Rosenberg, and Shay Quintin, and the overall team effort has produced 13 total shutouts, including 10 in the past 12 games. Connor Bell has started all 20 games in goal and holds a 0.36 GAA and .833 save percentage to go along with nine shutouts. Of note, two of the seven goals Bell has given up this season have come on penalty kicks.
. |
| Centenary University Cyclones |
|
|
Location: Hackettstown, N.J.
Coach: Keith O'Connor (13th season, 119-117-15 at Centenary entering the weekend)
2016 Record: 13-5-1, 7-1-1 Colonial States Athletic Conference
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 2nd
Last NCAA Tournament Result: 2013 First Round, lost 9-1 to Messiah (at Salisbury)
How the Cyclones got here: Centenary University earned the CSAC Championship for the second time in program history thanks to back-to-back shutouts in the conference semifinal (1-0 over Neumann) and final (3-0 over Cabrini). Their first conference crown came in 2013, and that year they also faced Messiah in the NCAA First Round.
|
Scouting the Cyclones: Centenary dropped four of their first six games this season, but they've gone 11-1-1 since to storm into the NCAA Tournament. The Cyclones can score goals (51 total) but they also give them up (26 to opponents). Opponents have also earned 103 corners against Centenary this season, which most likely reflects a struggle to keep teams out of their territory. True to that point, teams are also earning 15.3 shots per game.
Five players have totaled double-digit points for Centenary, with Justin White (8g, 9a) and Richy Castro (10g, 4a) leading the way with 25 and 24 points, respectively. Sophomore Josh Weiss is also in that group, and he's streaking recently to the tune of four goals in his past three games.
Weiss' classmate Devon Warne has played every minute in goal for the Cyclones, and he carries a 1.35 GAA with a .813 save percentage and four shutouts.
. |
| Montclair State University Red Hawks |
|
|
Location: Montclair, N.J.
Coach: Todd Tumelty (6th season, 107-24-9 at Montclair entering the weekend)
2016 Record: 16-5-1, 4-4-1 New Jersey Athletic Conference
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 16th
Last NCAA Tournament Result: 2015 Sectional Semifinal, 3-2 loss to Tufts
How the Red Hawks got here: Montclair State won their second NJAC Championship in the past three years, and they did so in unexpected fashion: the Red Hawks entered their conference tournament as the No. 5 seed before outscoring opponents 9-2 across three games to earn the AQ and enter their 11th-straight NCAA Tournament.
|
Scouting the Red Hawks: Montclair State has a storied tradition of excellence and, despite five losses on their record, they're living up to their reputation. The Red Hawks play aggressive and fast, and conference Offensive Player of the Year Lucas Terci (28g, 4a) benefits most from their end-to-end style. Terci, the national No. 2-ranked goal scorer, has tallied nine goals in his last six games alone, including two of his four hat-tricks this season. He's backed up by conference Midfielder of the Year Mike Olla (9g, 7a) and four other double-digit scorers.
Defensively the Red Hawks have a few holes, evidenced mostly by their 28 goals allowed and 12.0 allowed shots per game. Nevertheless goalkeeper Mike Saalfrank has been hot as of late to the tune of just two goals allowed and 24 saves in his past three games. On the season Saalfrank carries a 1.22 GAA and .796 save percentage.
Montclair State is making their fourth trip to Grantham; the Red Hawks lost on Shoemaker in the 2007 NCAA Sectional Final (1-0), 2010 NCAA Second Round (2-1, OT), and 2013 regular-season (3-1).
. |
| Christopher Newport University Captains (No. 21 NSCAA / No. 7 D3Soccer.com) |
|
|
Location: Newport News, Va.
Coach: Steve Shaw (21st season, 297-98-35 at CNU entering the weekend)
2016 Record: 17-2-1, 8-0-1 Capital Athletic Conference
NCAA Tournament Appearance: 10th
Last NCAA Tournament Result: 2014 Sectional Final, dropped 2-2 (2OT, PK) decision to Ohio Wesleyan
How the Captains got here: Christopher Newport won their second CAC Championship in three seasons, and they're riding a 12-game unbeaten streak (11-0-1) into their 10th NCAA Tournament appearance.
|
Scouting the Captains: CNU's 12-game unbeaten streak runs back to Sept. 21 when they dropped their second-straight game, that one a 2-1 loss to Lyncbhurg. Their unbeaten streak started with a 2-0 win over York, and since then the Captains outscored opponents 28-11; CNU has outscored opponents 56-21 on the season overall.
Sophomore Stephen Durbin (11g, 5a) leads seven double-digit scorers with 27 points, and he's also put through four game-winners. Both Andrew Gogolin (7g, 4a) and Patrick Burns (6g, 3a) have scored two goals in the last three games to support a team offense ranked No. 23 in the nation (2.80 goals per game).
The midfield and back line for the Captains is strong, although they allow 9.4 shots per game to their opponents, and 15 of their 21 goals allowed have come in the second-half or later. Sophomore keeper Zach Pedini has started all 20 games and holds a 1.03 GAA and .747 save percentage. He posted a 1-0 shutout against Mary Washington in the CAC Championship after allowing at least one goal in the previous seven games.
CNU is coming to Messiah for the first time since a 1-0 loss to the Falcons on Shoemaker Field during the 2003 regular-season.
|
