12th-ranked Emory University’s opponent for the
second round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament
is set, after Lynchburg College defeated Transylvania University
3-1 Thursday night to advance to Sunday’s 6:00 PM match at
the Woodruff P.E. Center.
Tickets
Tickets are available for purchase at the site of play prior
to and after the start of Sunday’s game. Ticket prices
are as follows:
General Admission: $6.00
Student with ID: $3.00
Senior Citizens: $3.00
Children (3-12): $2.00
Children under 3: Free
Coverage
The game will be webcasted at http://go.emory.edu/Webcasts/MSoccWebcast.html.
RealPlayer version 10 or newer is needed to watch the webcast, and
can be downloaded for free at www.real.com. Live-updating
statistics for the game are available at http://go.emory.edu/LiveStats/MSocc/XLIVE.HTM.
Emory University Eagles
Emory will enter the game with an overall record of 14-2-2,
including a perfect 10-0-0 record in home games this season. The
Eagles were ranked 12th in the NSCAA’s final
regular season poll, and ninth in the last D3Soccer.com poll.
Emory’s top offensive weapon this season has been junior
Andrew Natalino, who has scored a team-high 11
goals and 26 points. Defensively, goalkeeper Trenton
Spindler ranks second among all Division III players with
a 0.938 save percentage and seventh with a 0.303 goals against
average, while the Emory backline has matched a program record with
13 shutouts this season. The Eagles are led by head coach
Sonny Travis, who has compiled a 58-11-5 record
during his four seasons with Emory.
- Emory by the Numbers (Division III Rank in Parenthesis
– as of 11/07)
Goals per Game – 2.89 (9th)
Total Goals – 52 (18th)
Goals-Against Average – 0.33 (4th)
Shutout Percentage – 0.72 (6th)
Won-Lost-Tied Percentage – 0.833 (14th)
Save Percentage – 0.933 (2nd)
Lynchburg College Hornets
Lynchburg will enter Sunday’s game with an overall
record of 16-4-1, including a 4-1-1 record in road games in
2010. The Hornets were not ranked in either of the latest
NSCAA or D3Soccer.com nation polls, but did received eight votes in
the D3Soccer.com rankings. In addition, Lynchburg was ranked
sixth in the NSCAA Atlantic South Region poll. Senior forward
Michael Abbonizio leads all Hornets scorers with 18 points this
season (seven goals and four assists), while senior forward Donald
Hart III has scored seven goals as well. Freshman goalkeeper
Michael Releford ranks 31st in Division III with a 0.59
goals against average and 19th with a 0.873 save
percentage, while the Lynchburg backline has compiled 10 shutouts
through 21 games this season. Lynchburg is led by head coach
Chris Yeager, a former player and assistant of
Emory head coach Sonny Travis while both were at Virginia Wesleyan
University, who is 99-61-16 during his nine seasons with the
Hornets.
- Lynchburg by the Numbers (Division III Rank in
Parenthesis – as of 11/07)
Goals per Game – 2.19 (77th)
Total Goals – 46 (53rd)
Goals-Against Average – 0.70 (40th)
Shutout Percentage – 0.476 (50th)
Won-Lost-Tied Percentage – 0.786 (34th)
Save Percentage – .854 (24th)
Matchup History
Sunday’s game will be the second meeting this season
between the two teams, after the Eagles defeated the Hornets 1-0 in
Lynchburg, VA, as part of the Shellenberger Classic. In that
game, sophomore Alex Scott scored Emory’s
only goal of the contests, converting a shot off a Zach
Samuels corner kick. Spindler earned the shutout in
goal for the Eagles, playing all 90 minutes and making six
saves. Both teams took 14 shots in the game, with Emory
holding an 8-6 advantage in shots on goal.
Overall, Emory is 5-1-0 all time against Lynchburg, including a 1-0
mark at the Woodruff P.E. Center. This will be just the first
trip to the WoodPEC for the Hornets since 1986.
Emory Notes
Emory’s 10 home wins this season match a program record
set in 2008, when the team went 10-0-1 at home… This is
Emory’s 13th NCAA Tournament appearance in the
history of the program… The Eagles have been selected to
receive a first-round bye during each of their last three NCAA
Tournament appearances, including this season… Emory is
1-12-2 all time in NCAA Tournament games… The Eagles
advanced on a shootout after both of their NCAA ties, one against
Bethany College in 1988, and the other against North Carolina
Wesleyan College in 2008… 1988 and 2008 were the only two
seasons the Eagles have advanced past the second round of the
tournament.