Redlands to Host Sectionals of the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championships on Friday and Saturday
Bulldog Athletics and the No. 13/15 University of Redlands men's soccer program are proud to announce that they will be hosting one of the sectional rounds of the 2011 NCAA Division III Championships on Friday, Nov. 18, and Saturday, Nov. 19, at Farquhar Field. The four-team event features the University of Redlands, Calvin College (MI), Randolph College (VA) and the University of Texas-Tyler.
On Friday, the Wildcats of Randolph will face off against the Texas-Tyler Patriots at 5 p.m., followed by the Redlands Bulldogs taking on the Calvin Knights at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are required for all spectators and may be purchased at Farquhar Field up to one hour prior to kick-off. General admission is $6. Students with school I.D. and senior citizens cost $3, while children ages 2-12 years old are $2.
For more information, fans are encouraged to visit the event web site at http://www.goredlands.com/sports/msoc/2011-12/files/NCAA_Tourney_sectional
While pushing their unbeaten streak to 19 games, the Bulldogs (20-3-1) enter the round of 16 after ripping through the opening two rounds of NCAA Championship action. Redlands' offense has caught fire in the postseason, outscoring its two opponents by a 7-1 margin. The defensive third has allowed only 10 total shots-on-goal in its last two contests.
In its first competition, Redlands took down the Northwest Conference co-champion, Pacific Lutheran University (WA), in a 4-1 decision. The U of R avenged a shootout heartbreaker against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges in the second-round match, handily defeating the Stags, 3-0.
With 18 wins on the year, sophomore goalkeeper Andreas Silva (San Jose, CA) has headlined the fifth-ranked shutout defense in the country. According to the Nov. 6 NCAA report, the second-year keeper ranks 15th in the nation with a save percentage of .874, which complements his goals-against average of 0.61.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs boast a high-powered attack that sits second in NCAA Division III with 86 goals and 76 assists. Freshman forward Charles Izydorek (Redlands, CA) has added a huge spark off the bench to lead the team in points (36) and goals (15), which includes a netter in each of the two NCAA Championship games. Senior forward Cody Carlson (Burbank, CA) has provided plenty of veteran experience and fire power, recording career-highs in points (30) and goals (13) in his fourth season with the Maroon and Gray.
Calvin College (17-5-1) advances to the sectional after defeating Loras College (IA) on Saturday by a resounding score of 4-0. The Knights make their third-straight appearance in the round of 16, including its fourth in the last seven years. Highlighting Calvin's 2011 campaign, sophomore midfielder Zach Wills (Wyoming, MI) has notched a team-high 36 points with 13 goals and 10 assists.
The No. 24 Patriots of Texas-Tyler (17-2-2) pulled off a huge upset against No. 4 Trinity University (TX) on Sunday, edging out the Tigers in a 2-0 decision. The win marks the first victory over the traditional powerhouse, whereas Trinity eliminated the Patriots from the NCAA Championships in 2008 and 2010. Texas-Tyler has outscored its opponents, 49-14, with four different players tallying double-digit point totals. Junior goalkeeper Sergio Gardea (El Paso, TX) has performed well this season, recording 11 shutout wins.
Randolph College (18-5-0) enters the sectional for the first time in program history after putting up impressive wins against previously undefeated No. 2 Christopher Newport University (VA) on Saturday and DeSales University (PA) on Sunday. The Wildcats' exciting postseason run began when they captured the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) automatic bid. With five student-athletes notching double-digit points, the Wildcats posses a dangerous offensive attack that is led by sophomore forward Corey Sindle's (Gloucester, VA) 35 points (15g, 5a).
For a complete NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship bracket, please visit http://www.ncaa.com/sites/default/files/external/gametool/brackets/soccer-men_d3_2011.pdf
