GAME OVERVIEW• Millersville enters the NCAA Division II Tournament as the No. 2 seed in the Atlantic Region and faces No. 3 seed Urbana for the right to move on to the third round of the soccer championships where it will play the winner of No. 1 Charleston and No. 4 Notre Dame. Millersville and Urbana will meet for the first time in program history as the Blue Knights were ranked No. 21 and the Marauders were No. 25 in the latest NSCAA Division II Poll.
• The first 100 students at the gates will receive free admission and the men's soccer program will be giving the first 500 fans a Ville Rally Towel.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY• The Marauders return to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history, and Urbana will be making its first appearance. Millersville was the Atlantic Regional Champions in 2011 and were runner-ups in 2013. The Marauders beat California (Pa.) when forward Matt Kadoch scored the game-winner in the 84th minute to secure the programs second NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship in program history.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT• The Urbana Blue Knights feature four 2015 All-MEC First Team selections. The Blue Knights appearing on the first team were Raoui Lassoued, Nathan Jones, Ben Fitzpatrick and Aaron Burt. In addition, Callum Kaerswell-Reid and Lewis Dunne were voted to the All-MEC Second Team.
• Urbana dropped a narrow 1-0 decision to third-seeded Notre Dame College in the Mountain East Conference semifinals. The Blue Knights were shutout for only the third time this season, and actually outshot NDC by a 12-9 margin. The Blue Knights average 2.06 goals per game and limit opponents to 1.11 goals scored per match. They are also extremely balanced offensively as Raoui Lassoued, Lewis Dunne and Mike McFarlane have each netted a team-high seven goals.
MARAUDERS IN DEPTH• Millersville allowed the fewest goals (14) in the PSAC and were the second most dangerous offense within the conference. Millersville has netted 36 goals and even more impressive, the Black & Gold have recorded 34 assists on the year, which is three more than the next closest PSAC school California (Pa.).
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.
• The Marauders have posted nine shutouts on the season as it began the year with an 11-0-1 record--the best in program history.
• For the season,
Jaime Vazquez the PSAC Player of the Year has paced the Marauder offensive attack as he ranked first in the PSAC in points (42), goals (18) and game-winning goals (8). The 42 points surpasses a career-high for the Bernville, Pa., native, who needs 10 more points to surpass the program record. His 19 goals have garnered national recognition as it ties him for third best in all of Division II. The last Marauder to surpass 40 points on the season was Sean Szerba who scored 23 goals and tallied six assists in 1998.
• 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 (11) on the team as he has scored four goals and assisted on another three efforts. Flickinger has netted three goals and added an assist on the year in the PSAC Championship, which is 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 19 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 68 saves on the year and his 10 shutouts was the top mark in the PSAC.
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