NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND

Transcription

1 #5 #9 vs. Monmouth University Hawks Harvard University Crimson FIRST ROUND November 22, 2009 Ohiti Field Cambridge, Mass. Hosted by Harvard University

2 2009 SECOND ROUND #9 Harvard Crimson at #5 Monmouth Hawks MATCH QUICKFACTS MU head coach: Rob McCourt McCourt s Career Record: (Sixth season), second appearance in NCAA Tournament (2006) Harvard head coach: Jamie Clark Clark s career record: (Second season), second appearance in NCAA Tournament (2008) MU Men s Soccer Contact: Eddy Occhipinti office: cell: eocchipi@monmouth.edu 2009 SCHEDULE/RESULTS November 22, :00 p.m. The Monmouth University men s soccer team, ranked #5 in the latest NSCAA/adidas National Rankings, visits #9 Harvard for a NCAA Tournament Second Round match on Sunday at Ohiri Field. The Hawks are coming off the program s fi rst NCAA Tournament triumph after advancing past #12 Connecticut this past Friday on The Great Lawn. The Hawks won the contest 4-3 in a shootout after the two teams played 110 minutes of scoreless soccer. MU keeper Bryan Meredith made four saves during regulation and both overtimes, including a diving stop in the 89th minute of regulation. The junior dove to his left and stopped the ball after it had passed him, but before it crossed the goal line, to preserve the scoreless result and force the shootout. He then stopped two shots in the shootout, settting up Cesar Blacido s late heroics, as he scored the decided tally. IT S TOURNEY TIME! Monmouth is making its second all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament this season, also qualifying in In MU s fi rst ever NCAA Tournament win over UCONN on Friday, the Hawks defense kept the Huskies offense off the board with a swarming team effort as MU withstood a handful of early Connecticut attacks. Monmouth, which had a program-high 1,248 people at the NCAA Tournament First Round match on The Great Lawn, will bring an record into play on Sunday afternoon. CRIMSON TIDE Harvard, ranked #9 in the latest NSCAA/adidas National Rankings, is on the season after receiving a fi rst round bye in the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson have won three straight since falling 2-1 at home to Princeton on October 24. Harvard has outscored its opposition this season, including 18-8 in the second half of matches. They are led by Andre Akpan and his 11 goals and six assists for 28 points. Brian Rogers is second on the team with six goals and fi ve helpers for 17 points, and 10 Crimson have scored goals this season. DID WE JUST BECOME BEST FRIENDS? YEP! MU and Harvard have four common opponents this season in Fairfi eld, Cornell, Princeton and Connecticut. MU is in those four contests (with the tie being the Hawks NCAA match with UCONN), while the Crimson are HU defeated Fairfi eld and tied Cornell, and also lost to both Princeton, 2-1 and UCONN, SETON HALL W, at Fairfi eld W, at NJIT W, DELAWARE W, AMERICAN W, $ vs. Cornell W, $ at Princeton W, at Loyola (Md.) College W, * at Sacred Heart T, 0-0 (2ot) * at Fairleigh Dickinson W, * ST. FRANCIS (N.Y.) W, * LONG ISLAND W, * at Bryant W, * at Robert Morris W, * at Saint Francis (Pa.) L, * CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE W, * QUINNIPIAC W, * MOUNT ST. MARY S W, ^ FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON W, ^ QUINNIPIAC W, & #12 UCONN T, 0-0 (MU wins shootout 4-3) % at #9 Harvard 1:00 pm $ - Princeton Tournament (Princeton, N.J.) * - Northeast Conference game ^ - NEC Tournament (West Long Branch, N.J.) & - NCAA Tournament (West Long Branch, N.J.) % - NCAA Tournament (Cambridge, Mass.)

3 2009 NEC STANDINGS NEC Pts. ALL Pct. 1. Monmouth* St. Francis (N.Y.)* Quinnipiac* Fairleigh Dickinson* Mount St. Mary s Sacred Heart Robert Morris Bryant Long Island Saint Francis (Pa.) Central Conn. St * clinched NEC Tournament berth ^ Bryant not eligible for NEC playoffs until McCOURT QUICK FACTS EDUCATION College: Adelphi, 1989 (BA) PLAYING EXPERIENCE Adelphi Albany Capitals New Jersey Stallions Kearny Scots Americans COACHING RECORD AT MONMOUTH 2004: : : : : : Career Total: , NEC QUICK FACTS Mailing Address: Cedar Avenue...West Long Branch, N.J Athletics Department Phone:...(732) Athletics Department Fax:...(732) Founded: Enrollment:...4,500 President:...Vice Admiral Paul G. Gaffney II Athletics Director:...Dr. Marilyn McNeil Faculty Representative:... Dr. David Paul Conference:...Northeast Conference Nickname:...Hawks Colors:...Midnight Blue and White Home Field:...The Great Lawn Surface:...Natural Grass Internet Site:... Hawks Hotline:... (732) 571-HAWK MEDIA RELATIONS Ast. Dir. Ath. Comm/MS Contact.: Eddy Occhipinti Occhipinti s ...eocchipi@monmouth.edu Occhipinti s phone: Asst. AD/Dir. of AC/WS Contact:...Chris Tobin Tobin s ...ctobin@monmouth.edu Assistant Director:...Greg Viscomi Viscomi's ...gviscomi@monmouth.edu Ath. Comm. Asst.... Amber Wirth 2009 MEN S SOCCER FIVE S A CHARM, TWICE AS NICE The Monmouth University men s soccer team secured its fi fth straight Northeast Conference Regular Season Championship and second league tournament title this aeason. The Hawks, who concluded the 2009 regular season at for the fi rst time in school history and fi nished in league play, earned the right to host the 2009 NEC Men s Soccer Tournament as the top seed. MU topped Fairleigh Dickinson 2-0 in the semis and Quinnipiac 2-1in the title match to advance to the NCAA Tournament. This Hawks fi ve straight conference regular season titles is a fi rst in NEC history. EIGHT IS ENOUGH Monmouth s eight league wins was the highest total in conference play for any NEC team since Long Island and UMBC both went in The Hawks, who only allowed two goals at home all season, also ended the 2009 season a perfect at home, the fi rst time in program history that MU has gone unbeaten and untied at home. MU is now at home after sweeping in the league tournament. GETTING DEFENSIVE At the heart of MU s success has been a defense that has ranked among the best in the nation all season. Monmouth leads the country in shutout percentage, keeping 70% of its opponents scoreless, while also ranking second in the nation in team goals against average, giving up 0.35 tallies per match. The Hawks also place second in team save percentage, stopping 88.9% of their opponent s shots. The Hawks back line of senior Dan Bostock, St. John s transfer Anthony Vazquez and sophomores Christian Nogueira and RJ Allen, as well as goalie Bryan Meredith, have been steady, if not spectacular, all season. YOU LL GET NOTHING AND LIKE IT. Shutouts are nothing new to the Monmouth defense, in fact since Rob McCourt took over as head coach before the 2004 season, the Hawks have logged 60 shutouts. They set a new program-record this season by shutting out 15 opponents, besting the total of 13 set by the 2006 squad that also won the NEC Regular Season and Tournament Titles. MU also shut out 10 opponents in both the 2008 and 2007 seasons, while blanking four teams in McCourt s fi rst season in HOME SWEET HOME The Hawks enjoyed unprecedented success at home in 2009, going , marking the fi rst time that Monmouth has gone undefeated and untied on historic The Great Lawn. MU, which only allowed two goals at home this year, has gone at home during McCourt s tenure as head coach, and has hosted the previous four NEC Tournament s on The Great Lawn. ROAD WARRIORS As good as Monmouth was at home, they were equally adept at winning away from West Long Branch. The Hawks went in road/neutral games this season. This season, MU travelled to, and defeated, Fairfi eld and Loyola (Md.) College out of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, as well as Cornell and Princeton at the Tigers Tournament. KEEPING THE DEFENSE STRONG Monmouth junior keeper Bryan Meredith has enjoyed a break-out season in his second full campaign in MU s net. The keeper leads the country in goals against average, allowing tallies per contest, while also ranking third in the nation in save percentage, stopping 88.9% of opponent s shots. He personally logged 13 of the team s 14 shutouts, and now has 24 career shutouts. THE NUMBERS DON T LIE Monmouth has outscored its opponents 36-7 this season, including 17-3 during the fi rst half s of games this year and 19-4 during the second half. In MU s one overtime contest this season, the Hawks and Sacred Heart played to a scoreless tie in Fairfi eld, Conn.

4 2009 MEN S SOCCER KINNE DO IT? SURE HE CAN. Junior midfi elder Ryan Kinne has been at the heart of Monmouth s success since he stepped foot on campus in The former Connecticut State High School Player of the Year, and current Hermann Award Watch List member, leads the Hawks with 10 goals and seven assists this season for 27 points, while adding six game-winners. The NEC Player of the Year, and fi rst team all-league honoree, also led the team last season with 10 goals and six assists. He has started 54 of the 55 career matches he has appeared it in West Long Branch. He also ranks 30th in the nation in points per game, averaging 1.35 points per match. THE CHASE IS ON Junior forward Chase Barbieri has battled through injuries over the last two seasons, but still remains one of Monmouth s primary offensive options. The Hermann Award Watch List member has scored six goals and added an assist during this season, including MU s fi rst marker in the league title match agaisnt Quinnipiac. He was limited to only six starts in his 18 appearances this season. Barbieri, who was named to the 2008 Second Team All-Northeast Conference and also a First Team All-Region performer, tied for the team-lead last season with 10 goals, adding a league-best six game-winners. MU VS. THE RPI TOP 135 The Monmouth men s soccer team has gone undefeated against the better teams they have played this season, sporting a perfect 13-0 record against the national RPI top-135. MU has defeated Princeton (#14), UCONN (#36), American (#45), Cornell (#88), Fairfi eld (#93), St. Francis [N.Y.] (#101), Loyola [Md.] (#108), Quinnipiac twice (#121), Fairleigh Dickinson twice (#123), Seton Hall (#131) and Delaware (#135). TURNING DEFENSE INTO OFFENSE Sophomore RJ Allen, on top of being one of Monmouth s best defenders, has also shown a penchant for being able to attack on offense this year. The NEC Tournament MVP has scored a pair of goals this season (both against Quinnipiac on 11/1) while adding a team-high eight assists. Allen, one of the better technical players on the squad, has started all 39 matches in his young career on defense. ANYTIME, ANYWHERE The Monmouth men s soccer team has played, and faired quite well, against teams from power soccer conferences. In McCourt s tenure, MU has defeated North Carolina (2007), Seton Hall and Loyola [Md.] (this season), while tying the likes of Virginia (2005), George Mason (2006) and Syracuse (2008). Last time out, MU topped UCONN, who has won two national titles and appeared in 30 NCAA Tournaments. RC COLA MU freshman forward Ryan Clark, an All-NEC First Team honoree this year, has been the most consistent newcomer for the Blue and White in 2009, ranking second on the team with six goals and 17 points, adding fi ve assists. Clark, a Freehold, N.J. native, who was named Shore Conference Player of the Year as a senior at Freehold Township, has started all 18 matches he has appeared in this season. OFFENSIVE SURGE The Monmouth men s soccer team, renown for its defense, has enjoyed an offensive onslaught this season. The Hawks lead the Northeast Conference, and rank 27th in the nation, in scoring offense averaging 1.8 goals per game. MU has succeeded on offense thanks to a team effort, with no player ranking in the top-29 in any offensive category. Ryan Kinne ranks 30th in points per game, while also ranking 43rd in goals per contest. PUTTING THE D IN DEFENSE Senior central defender Daniel Bostock, the NEC s Defensive Player of the Year, has manned the Monmouth defense for 56 straight matches, and he is at the heart of one of the stingiest back lines in the nation. An aggressive and tactical defender, Bostock is the main on-fi eld organizer of the MU defense, which leads the country in shutout percentage and ranks second second in team GAA. Bostock was named First Team All-Northeast Conference a season ago, while also being named to the NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division I All-North Atlantic Region Second Team. HERMANN S HEAD Junior forwards Chase Barbieri and Ryan Kinne were both named to the Missouri Athletic Club s Hermann Trophy Watch List, an award given annually to the top player in Division I, in the preseason. The duo is among 38 of the best Division I men s intercollegiate soccer players that comprise the 2009 Watch List. Monmouth was among seven teams in the nation to put more than one player on the Watch List, along with Creighton, Loyola University of Maryland, Drake, Tulsa, UCLA and Wake Forest. Considered the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer, the recipients of the Hermann Trophy are selected by Division I head coaches who are current members of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. MU IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS The Blue and White have been a consistent presence in the NSCAA/adidas National Rankings since the third week of the season, debuting at #24 on September 11. From there, MU moved up to #19 the following week and then #14 during the end of September before landing at 10th for two weeks. The Blue and White were ranked #8 four weeks ago before moving up to seventh a week later, which at the time marked the highest national ranking for any program in Monmouth University history.

5 2009 Monmouth Men s Soccer Roster No. Name Class Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/H.S. (Previous School) 00 Alejandro Cordido Fr. GK West Haven, Conn./Notre Dame 0 Alex Blackburn Fr. GK Natick, Mass./Natick 1 Bryan Meredith Jr. GK Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains-Fanwood 2 Christian Nogueira So. D Kearny, N.J./Kearny 3 Bryan Davis Jr. D Glen Gardner, N.J./Voorhees 4 Anthony Vazquez Jr. D Belford, N.J./Middletown North (St. John s) 5 Daniel Bostock Sr. D Nottinghamshire, England (Va. Intermont) 6 Ryan Clark Fr. M Freehold, N.J./Freehold Twp. 7 Max Hamilton So. F Medford, N.J./Shawnee 8 Cesar Blacido So. M Ramsey, N.J./Ramsey 9 George Quintano So. F Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan 10 Ryan Kinne Jr. F Naugatuck, Conn./Naugatuck 11 Ben Lowy So. D Ocean, N.J./Ocean 14 Tony Sendra Fr. M Naugatuck, Conn./Naugatuck 15 Drew Von Bargen Jr. M Medford, N.J./Shawnee 16 George Caiella So. M/D Pittstown, N.J./Seton Hall Prep 17 Chase Barbieri Jr. F Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough 18 Andrew Dodds Fr. D West Chester, Pa./The Haverford School 19 Cody Calafi ore Fr. M Howell, N.J./Howell 20 Alex Weidman Fr. M Linwood, N.J./Mainland Regional 21 R.J. Allen So. M Old Bridge, N.J./St. Joseph s 23 Wes Ostrzycki Fr. D Edison, N.J./Edison 24 Thomas Adair Jr. M Levittown, N.Y./St. John the Baptist (College of St. Rose) 30 Doug Meehan So. GK Lanoka Harbor, N.J./Lacey Head Coach: Robert McCourt (Sixth season at Monmouth, Adelphi, 1989) Assistant Coaches: Hugh MacDonald (Third season, Monmouth, 2007), Jonathan Schmid (Second Season, Monmouth, 2006) Pronunciation Guide Nogueira Na-Gwear-A Kinne Kin-ee Vazquez Vazz-quez Lowy Low-ee Bostock Ba-stock Von Bargen Vaughn Bargain Cesar Blacido Cee-ser Bla-see-doe Caiella Ki-ella Quintano Quinn-tah-no Barbieri Bar-bee-air-ee Cordido Core-dee-do Calafi ore Cal-a-fee-or-ee Weidman Wideman Ostrzycki Os-strit-see

6 2009 Monmouth Overall Statistics