11th-ranked Emory University will open postseason play this weekend, when the team plays host to the first two rounds of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championships at the Woodruff Physical Education Center on Friday, November 14th and Saturday, November 15th.
Along with the Eagles, teams selected to play in Atlanta, Georgia this weekend include 12th-ranked Whitworth University, Berry College and Covenant College. The team that advances through the two rounds this weekend will advance to the sectional rounds of the tournament next weekend, with match locations and dates to be determined.
Weekend Schedule
Friday, November 14th
6:00 PM – Emory vs. Berry
8:30 PM – Whitworth vs. Covenant
Saturday, November 15th
6:00 PM – Second Round Match
To view the complete draw for the 2014 NCAA DIII Men's Soccer Championships, go to http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/soccer-men/d3.
Ticket/ Event Information
Ticket prices for each game this weekend will be as follows:
General Admission: $6.00
Student w/ ID & Seniors Citizens: $3.00
Children (ages 3-12): $2.00
Children under 3: Free
In addition, the first 200 Emory students (with an ID) will receive free admission to the Emory games.
For more information on the event, including directions, parking information and a visitors' guide, visit the official tournament website at http://emoryathletics.com/sports/msoc/2014-15/NCAA.
Coverage
Fans unable to attend the matches can follow all of the action during the weekend from home with a live high-definition video webcast and live statistics. The link for the video is http://emoryathletics.com/sports/msoc/live, while the live statistics are available at http://www.go.emory.edu/LiveStats/MSocc/XLIVE.htm.
Emory Eagles
Emory will be making its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance, earning a pool 'C' at-large bid after finishing third in the University Athletic Association (UAA) during the regular season. The Eagles will enter tournament play ranked 11th in the final NSCAA Regular Season poll, and first in the South Atlantic Region. Emory holds a 13-3-2 overall record during the season, including a home ledger of 6-1-1.
The Eagles have scored 30 goals this season on 287 shots, including 127 on goal, and is ranked 173rd in Division III with 1.67 goals-per game. Junior Sebastian Hardington leads all Emory players with six goals this season, and is second on the squad with 14 points. In addition, his five game-winning goals are the 23rd-most among D-III players. Senior Dylan Price had added a team-high 15 points this season (five goals and five assists), and sophomore Jason Andrejchak is the team's leader with six assists, and has added on four goals for 14 total points.
Emory's strength this season has been its defense, which will enter the weekend ranked 14th in Division III with a 0.53 goals-against average after yielding just 10 goals during the year. Led by junior Matt Sherr, senior Noah Rosen and senior Carl Credle, the Eagles have held opponents to 10.6 shots and 3.2 shots on goal per game, and have recorded nine shutouts. In goal, junior Abe Hannigan has started 17 games, ranking 26th in Division III with a 0.565 GAA and 85th with a 0.815 save percentage.
Emory is led by Head Coach Sonny Travis, who has compiled a 103-35-11 record during his eight seasons with the Eagles. For his 29-year career, which includes stints as the head coach at Centre College and Virginia Wesleyan College, he has a record of 397-127-46, and entered the campaign ranked 13th among active Division III coaches in victories and 17th among Division III coaches all-time with a .735 winning percentage. Travis is assisted by Cory Greiner and goalkeeper coach Diarmuid McGuigan.
Berry Vikings
Berry is making its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance, claiming an automatic bid after its run to the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Title by advancing through the conference tournament as the fifth-seeded team. While not nationally ranked, the Vikings are the ninth-ranked team in the South Atlantic Region. The team is 12-6-1 overall on the year, including a 4-4-0 road record and a 7-4-0 mark in road and neutral games.
Offensively, the Vikings are ranked 324th in Division III with 1.11 goals per game, totaling 21 goals in their 19 contests during the year off 244 shots and 93 shots on goal. The majority of the team's attack has come from two senior players in Christian Fulbright (six goals and five assists) and Zak Wallingford (five goals and five assists).
Berry's 0.94 goals-against average is the 85th-best mark among Division III teams, allowing just 18 goals during the year and shutting out 10 opponents. Sophomore Jon Nelson has started all 19 games in goal for the Vikings, and ranks 90th in Division III with a 0.924 GAA and 75th with a .823 save percentage. Their backline has restricted the opposition to 241 shots, with 101 on goal, averages of 12.7 and 5.3 per game.
The Vikings are under the leadership of Richard Vardy, who is 177-65-17 during his 12 years with the team. He is assisted by Konrad Jacobs.
Emory is 10-10-1 all-time against Berry, in a series that dates back to the 1971 season. After not facing each other since the 1993 campaign, the teams reignited their in-state rivalry in 2011 (when Berry was transitioning to a Division III program), with Emory holding a 2-2-0 record against Berry since. Earlier in the season, the Eagles claimed a 1-0 road win over the Vikings, with Jason Andrejchak notching the difference-maker in the 13th minute of the game. Both teams took 11 shots in the game, with the Eagles holding a 5-4 edge in shots on goal, as Abe Hannigan made four saves in the shutout.
Berry also played Covenant earlier in the season, falling 2-0 on the road to the Scots.
Whitworth Pirates
Whitworth received an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships after winning the Northwest Conference Championship, and finishing first in the league during the regular season. The Pirates, who will be making their eighth NCAA Tournament appearance, are ranked 12th in the final NSCAA National Poll and second in the West Region. The team is 15-1-3 overall this season, including marks of 7-0-2 in road contests and 2-0-0 in neutral-site games.
Whitworth has been one of the top offensive teams in the country this season, scoring 49 times in 19 games and entering the tournament ranked 29th in Division III with 2.58 goals per game. The squad has totaled 392 shots during the year, including 172 on goal. The Pirates leading scorer this season has been senior Micheal Ramos, who is 41st in Division III with 13 goals, 11th with 12 assists, and 21st with 38 points. Three other players – sophomore Rylan Berriman (six goals, four assists), junior Sam Engle (five goals and six assists) and junior Karl Muelheims (six goals) – have registered double-digit point totals this year.
The Pirates' defense has yielded just 18 goals during the year, good for a 0.90 goals-against average, the 74th-best mark among D-III teams. Two goalkeeper have split time in goal for the team during the year, with sophomore Timmy Costa recording a 0.79 GAA and a .757 save percentage in 1032 minutes of play, while freshman Tony Watters has a 0.87 GAA and a .812 save percentage in 618 minutes. The defense has allowed 11.8 shots and 4.2 shots on goal per game this season.
The Pirates are led by Head Coach Morgan Cathey, who is now in his second season at Whitworth, with the team notching a record of 27-4-6 over the past two years. He is assisted by Bryan Olson and Steven Acosta.
Whitworth has never faced any of the other three teams at the site.
Covenant Scots
Covenant claimed the automatic bid from the USA South Conference, after winning the conference tournament and finishing the season with an overall record of 14-4-2, including a 3-3-1 mark in road matches and a 2-0-0 neutral record. This will be the first NCAA Tournament appearance for the Scots, who were ranked fifth in the final South Atlantic Region poll.
Covenant is also well-familiar with the Woodruff P.E. Center this season, as the team will be playing in their fourth-scheduled game of the year at the facility on Friday.
The Scots are 43rd in Division III with 2.43 goals per game this year, scoring 51 goals in 21 games. Senior Snoopy Davidson is the squad's leading scorer, ranking 59th in Division III with 12 goals and 55th with 30 points. Seniors Joe Friesen and Ian Meredith have added eight goals and four assists each for 20 points. As a team, Covenant has taken 339 shots, 174 of which have been on goal.
Covenant's 0.74 team goals-against average is the 39th-best mark in Division III in 2014, with the team ceding 16 goals to its opponents. Junior goalkeeper Daniel Kubin has started all 21 games, recording a 0.72 GAA and .808 save percentage, while the defense has held the opposition to 11.1 shots and 4.0 shots on goal per game, with clean sheets in nine games.
Covenant is coached by Nathan Pifer, who is now in his sixth season with the team, and has a record of 70-43-12 at the Scots' helm. He is assisted by Scott Bosgraf and John Eger.
Emory is 9-2-7 all-time against Covenant. The two teams played 11 times between 1973 and 1983, with Emory holding a 3-1-7 advantage in those games. The Eagles and the Scots did not meet again until 2008 season, and have played every year since. Emory is 4-0 against Covenant in games at the Woodruff P.E. Center since 2008, including a 2-1 double-overtime win earlier this year.
Emory Notes
Emory has not yielded a goal in its last three games, and has played 330 minutes and 18 second without allowing an opponent to score… The Eagles are ranked 31st in Division III in won-lost-tied percentage (.778), 42nd in shutout percentage (.500), and 59th in save percentage (.828)... This is the sixth time that Emory has hosted the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championships, and the first time since 2010.
#11 Emory Set to Host First Two Rounds of NCAA DIII Men’s Soccer Championships
Posted: Nov 12, 2014