INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Wheaton College (Mass.) men's soccer team will travel to Middlebury, Vt. on November 14 to take on Hobart College at site host Middlebury College in the First Round of the NCAA National Championship Tournament, it was announced this morning on the NCAA Selection Show.
The Lyons are making their 12th NCAA Tournament appearance and ninth as the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference Champion.
Wheaton earned the automatic qualifying bid to the tournament after defeating number four seed United States Coast Guard Academy, 2-0, on November 8 in the NEWMAC title game.
The Lyons will face Hobart at 1:30 p.m. on South Street Field on the campus of host Middlebury College, which plays Saint Joseph's College (Maine) in the other game of the pod. The winner of Saturday's games will play the following day at 1:00 p.m. in Middlebury, Vt.
Wheaton enters the tournament with a seven-game unbeaten streak and has not lost in nine of their last 10 games. The Lyons are 11-2-6 and were 4-1-3 to finish second in the NEWMAC standings.
The Statesmen are 10-3-4 and finished 3-3-3 in the Liberty League. Despite two unanswered goals to send its match into overtime, Hobart fell, 4-1, on penalty kicks to Skidmore College in the opening round of the Liberty League Championship Tournament.
Wheaton is 1-1 all-time against the Statesmen. Hobart defeated the Lyons, 2-1, on September 4, 2011 in Norton, Mass. The first-ever meeting between the schools resulted in a 6-1 Wheaton win on September 8, 2002 at host Keene State College in the Diadora Soccer Showdown.
The Lyons have 23 members on their roster, who played on last year's squad that advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight and finished number seven in the nation. Wheaton is one of the best defensive teams in the nation, ranking 29th with a 0.74 goals against average, backed by a goalkeeping unit that has compiled a .837 save percentage to place it 18th in NCAA Division III. The Lyons topped the NEWMAC in scoring with 1.895 goals per game, goals allowed and a 1.16 average margin of victory. Wheaton has been exceptional on set pieces during the season and were awarded 103 corner kicks for the second-highest total in the league.
The Lyons have been led by a defense that includes senior Owen Kane (Pembroke, Mass.), a First Team All-Conference selection from a year ago, who has three goals as a key part of their set pieces. He's joined by junior Austin Hoadley (South Kent, Conn.), a gritty Second Team All-Conference honoree last year, who has been relentless in pushing the ball from the backfield into Wheaton's offensive end of the field. Senior back Jacques Violette (Madison, Conn.) has been a work horse in the backfield for the Lyons, playing a team-high 1674 minutes, while first year Alex Burke (Arlington, Mass.) has become a key part of the backline as well.
Wheaton's midfield is anchored by senior Ben Kane (Pembroke, Mass.). The composed senior was named the NEWMAC Offensive Athlete of the Week during the season and was a Second Team All-Conference pick last year. A Captain like his twin brother, Kane netted a goal and assisted on another in the Lyons' 4-2 semifinal win over Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the NEWMAC Tournament. He has three scores and a pair of helpers for the season. Wheaton's third senior Captain, Camajé Easton-Smith (Hamilton, Bermuda) has been a starter in the midfield for Wheaton since his rookie campaign and has been a physical, unflappable presence throughout his tenure in Norton for the Lyons. Junior midfielder Noe Aguilar (Lawrence, Mass.) has emerged as an integral piece of Wheaton's puzzle, making smart decisions with his deft play on the pitch, while junior Charlie Cushing (Eastham, Mass.) has developed into a threat in the Lyons' attacking third of the field with four goals and three assists. Senior midfielder Caleb Cassetta's (Denver, Colo.) contribution and toughness off the bench has been a lift for Wheaton as well and sophomore Brent Karpowich's (Cranston, R.I.) has proven to be a gifted offensive player, whose ability to stay on his feet has confounded opponents in the middle of the field. In addition, sophomore Gabriel Rodriguez (Queens, N.Y.) has provided a shot of energy to the Lyons' offense and first year Colin Dickinson (Danbury, Conn.) adds a physical presence with offensive potential that could be a real problem for Wheaton's foes.
The emergence of a pair of sophomores has really bolstered the Lyons' offensive attack. Sophomore Paco Polo (Madrid, Spain) has exploded onto the scene over the last nine games of the season with eight goals and an assist to put him on top of the NEWMAC leaderboard. His ability to create space and find scoring opportunities has been invaluable to Wheaton's offense. Classmate Vinny McGann (Chelmsford, Mass.) has been a catalyst for the Lyons' attack as well. The fiery forward ranks eighth in the conference with 14 points on five goals and four assists. His vision on the field and precision on corner kicks have made him one of the top playmakers in the region. Wheaton's offense has also benefited from the return of senior forward Declan Rhatigan (Holderness, N.H.), who missed time with injury, but has made his presence felt over the past 12 games since being re-inserted into the lineup. A Second-Team All-Conference performer a year ago, Rhatigan's unique combination of size and skill makes it nearly impossible for defenders to mark him as evidenced by a pair of goals and an assist he contributed during the NEWMAC Tournament. If that weren't enough for opponents to have to think about, the speed of senior Avery Dinham (Coral Springs, Fla.) has given defenses cause for concern. With four goals and three assists on the season, Dinham is always a threat to put the ball in the net, but his versatility on the field gives Wheaton additional support in the backfield as well. First year forward Mason Fasoli (Weymouth, Mass.) has provided the Blue and White with an instant offensive threat off the bench as he's become better acquainted with the college game.
Senior Nick Phinney (Gorham, Maine) has seized his opportunity as the Lyons' primary goalie, posting a sterling .840 save mark to go with a 0.76 goals against average to lead all keepers in the conference and rank him 24th in the nation in save percentage. Sophomore keeper Patrick Butler (Glastonbury, Conn.) has also shown that he's up to the task when called upon with a gaudy .852 save percentage to go with a 0.64 goals against mark.
Hobart finished the Liberty League conference slate with 12 points to earn the number five seed in the conference tourney. The Statesmen placed third in the league with 1.706 goals scored per game and a 1.29 goals against average. Hobart's offense is led by junior forward Brady Leitner (Mahopac, N.Y.) with eight goals and assist, while junior defender Griffin Coutts (Mendham, N.J.) has been the consummate playmaker with nine assists from the back field to rank 20th in the nation. Sophomore midfielder Gabe Smith (New York, N.Y.) has five goals and two assists as a big part of the Statesmen's offense, while senior midfielder Quinn Phillips (Brentwood, N.H.) has served as a facilitator with six assists to go with a pair of goals. Senior back Noah Fischer (Westfield, N.J.) and junior Weldon Arner (Middletown, R.I.) have anchored the defense for Hobart, while junior Jake Hans (Livingston, N.J.) has played all but 112:51 minutes in net all season. He owns a 1.32 goals against average, while posting a .774 save percentage. Junior Danny Spataro (New Brunswick, N.J.), La Zai Outerbridge (Paget, Bermuda) and junior Will Slayton (North Andover, Mass.) have been staples in the midfield for the Statesmen, a team that is heavy on upperclassmen throughout their starting lineup.
