MILLERSVILLE VS. SETON HILL |
---|
| #14 Millersville Marauders 2015 Record: 11-2-1, 8-1 PSAC Last Game: 0-1 L vs. Wheeling Jesuit Coach: Steve Widdowson, 9th season (110-54-11) Roster | Schedule | Statistics |
| Seton Hill Griffins 2015 Record: 5-9-1, 3-5 PSAC Last Game: 2-0 W vs. Slippery Rock Coach: Dan McCarty, 12th season Roster | Schedule | Statistics |
| Game Information Date: Oct. 24, 2015 | Start Time: 5:30 p.m. Location: Pucillo Field | Directions
Live Stats | Twitter | Instagram | #HoistTheColors
Series Record: MU leads 4-1 (.800) Streak: SHU, 1 First Meeting: 2011 (W, 5-0) Last Meeting: 2014 (L, 0-1) |
GAME OVERVIEW• The Millersville men's soccer team welcomes Seton Hill to town on Homecoming weekend. The Marauders have already secured a PSAC Postseason Tournament berth, but if they take care of business against Seton Hill and Mercyhurst to close out the year they will be crowned the PSAC Regular Season Champions.
• Even though the Marauders have been the better statistical team in two-straight matchups, they have suffered gut wrenching road losses to Shippensburg and Wheeling Jesuit. Last time out, Wheeling Jesuit only registered two shots in the match, but made their first and only shot of the first period count as it slid the ball past keeper
Kohl Orner. Millersville had eight different players record a shot against the Cardinals.
Jaime Vazquez recorded five shots and
Jesse Zimmerman fired two as each player recorded one shot on target. Zimmerman nearly put the Marauders on the board in the fifth minute, but his shot attempt was corralled by Wheeling Jesuit keeper Mathew McCormick. The Marauders came out of the halftime break attacking as they quickly fed the ball to
Jaime Vazquez in the 50th minute, but his curling shot was once again stymied by McCormick. The non-conference defeat was only Millersville's third game of the season in which their offense failed to tally a goal.
• The Marauders have posted nine shutouts on the season as it began the year with a 11-0-1 record--the best in program history. Millersville is an extremely balanced squad that has scored 29 goals and has only conceded eight on the season. Even more impressive, the Black & Gold have recorded 28 assists on the year, which is five more than the next closest PSAC school East Stroudsburg.
Justin Torres-Groover and
Christopher Sosa have been the most efficient set-up men. Torres-Groover has tallied a team best five assists and Sosa has recorded four assists from his central midfield position.
• For the season,
Jaime Vazquez has paced the Marauder offensive attack as he ranks first in the PSAC in points (33), goals (15) and game-winning goals (6). The 33 points surpasses a career-high for the Bernville, Pa., native, and his 15 goals scored has garnered national recognition as it ties him for fifth best in all of Division II. Vazquez has been named PSAC Player of the Week twice (Sept. 14 & 28).
• 10 different Marauders have netted a goal on the season, including five freshmen (
Jaxson Burns,
Chase Flickinger,
Dylan Fogerty,
Kyle Finsterbush and
Danny Kline). Burns has produced the second most points (8) on the team as he has scored three goals and assisted on another two efforts. Flickinger,
Marcus Frangakis and
Ben Johnston have each netted two goals on the year, which ties for third best on Coach
Steve Widdowson's squad.
• Goalkeeper and captain
Kohl Orner has been extremely composed and reliable in net since entering the starting lineup on October 4, 2014. In 2015, Orner has played every minute of each of Millersville's 14 matches. Orner has been the leader of the backline of defense that consists of the likes of a combination of usual starters
Devin Rediker,
Tanner Brenize,
Kyle Finsterbush,
Drew McMenamin and
Ahmed Qaisi. Orner has made 49 saves on the year and his nine shutouts is the top mark in the PSAC.
ABOUT THE SERIES• Both team's first met in 2011 with the Marauders shutting out Seton Hill in the inaugural matchup by a 5-0 score. In 2014, the Griffins got the best of the visiting Ville and the win proved to be pivotal as it helped them not only qualify for the PSAC Tournament, but it also helped them host the quarterfinal matchup of the tournament. The Griffins were bounced from the tournament in the semifinals as they were handed a 1-0 loss by Bloomsburg.
THE LAST MEETING SETON HILL 1, MILLERSVILLE 0 - OCT. 31, 2014)• The Marauders dominated the first 20 minutes of action as they produced four dangerous scoring attempts. The most promising occurred in the 8th minute when midfielder
Christopher Sosa fired a shot that dipped into the belly of Griffin keeper Cameron Evans. Millersville again had a very advantageous effort occur in the beginning of the second period.
Jaime Vazquez swung a corner kick attempt through the Griffins box that connected with the head of Johnathan Quesada who shot it on goal frame, but once again the attempt was saved. The first and only goal occurred at the 64:27 mark when Joe Smith found Joe Tchimou who headed the ball past keeper
Kohl Orner.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT• The Griffins don't have one main goal scorer, but instead have six players who have scored two or more goals on the season. Midfielder Joe Smith leads the team with nine points and was named All-PSAC Second Team a season ago. Seton Hill has a calming presence in net as senior Cameron Evans brings loads of experience to the position. Evans transferred to Seton Hill after playing two seasons at Genesee Community College (NY) as he started and played in all 19 games in 2014. Evans finished the year with a 1.11 goals against average and recorded eight shutouts. This season Evans has produced four shutouts and recorded 56 saves.
• In its previous match, SHU broke through with two goals in just over a one minute stretch against Slippery Rock. The Griffins got on the scoreboard first when Joe Smith found a breaking Tom Urquhart who deposited it into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead at the 51:50 mark of the half. Just 1:01 later, Curtis Gallagher banged home a rebound off a Seon Ripley shot to give the Griffins the 2-0 victory.
MARAUDERS NATIONALLY RANKED • The Millersville men's soccer team was voted No. 14 in the latest National Soccer Coaches of America (NSCAA) Division II Poll on Monday. The Marauders are the lone Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference representative within the national polls. A complete listing of the national poll can be found
here. The Ville was also slotted No. 2 in the NCAA Regional Advisory Committee's initial NCAA Division II Atlantic Region Ranking that was released Wednesday. The rankings determine the field for the NCAA Tournament. Wednesday's ranking were the first of four that will be produced each Wednesday until the field is finally determined following the conference tournaments. The Marauders will look to return to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the fifth time since 2008 with the last occurring in 2013. The NCAA selection committee grants 35 births for the national tournament with four teams advancing from the Atlantic Region.
Â