Millersville, Pa. – The sixth-ranked Millersville men's soccer team is in the midst of its most successful season ever and Tuesday's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division showdown at Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium against No. 12 East Stroudsburg has all the makings of the biggest match in school history.
The winner of Tuesday evening's contest will not only have the inside track for the PSAC Eastern Division title, but will also likely serve as the host for the PSAC Tournament as well as the NCAA Atlantic Regional. It will not only be a battle for a title and postseason positioning, but also one that features a burgeoning rivalry.
At 13-2, the Marauders need just one more win to tie the 1998 and 2002 squads for most single season victories, and with an 8-0 PSAC East mark, the team is zeroing in on its first division championship in 18 years. After cracking the NSCAA/adidas National Rankings on Sept. 9, the Marauders have steadily climbed to No. 6 in Division II and No. 1 in the Atlantic Region. It is the program's highest-ever ranking.
In the NCAA regional standings, however, it is East Stroudsburg that holds claim to the top spot. The Warriors are 15-3 overall and 8-1 in the PSAC East, but it was Millersville that handed East Stroudsburg that divisional loss. The visiting Marauders routed then-fourth ranked East Stroudsburg by a 4-1 count behind two goals from senior Sean McLaughlin back on Sept. 24.
East Stroudsburg is the defending PSAC Champions, but Millersville has won each of the last two meetings.
Both Millersville and East Stroudsburg are among the most potent offenses in the league. East Stroudsburg is first with 7.94 points and 3.0 goals per game, and Millersville is second with 7.38 points and 2.62 goals per game. East Stroudsburg's Roshane Ellison is the conference's leading scorer and Kevin Holmes is fourth. Millersville's top two scorers are McLaughlin and Ryan Kiley and they are ranked sixth and ninth respectively.
While the teams can score, both play stingy defense. East Stroudsburg has blanked opponents eight times while Millersville has totaled four shutouts. Millersville is second in the PSAC in goals allowed (1.0 per game) and East Stroudsburg is fourth.
Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. Admission to the match is free. Fans that cannot make it can tune into the live action on the Marauder Sports Broadcasting Network.
