Men's Sectional Previews: Atlantic

By D3soccer.com Contributor

Third Round - Saturday, Nov. 22

Quarterfinals - Sunday, Nov. 23

Sectional Final, 1:00 pm ET

How they reached the Sweet 16

Oneonta State: SUNYAC Automatic Berth (AQ) | 1st Rnd: bye | 2nd Rnd: W2-0 Nichols (H)

Franklin & Marshall: Pool C at-large berth | 1st Rnd: W1-0 Johnson & Wales (H) | 2nd Rnd: T2-2(2ot-pks) Rochester (H)

Brandeis: Pool C at-large berth | 1st Rnd: W3-0 Husson (H) | 2nd Rnd: W1-0 Bowdoin (H)

Amherst: Pool C at-large berth | 1st Rnd: W2-0 Fitchburg St. (N) | 2nd Rnd: T1-1(2ot-pks) St. Lawrence (A)

2014 Statistical Overview

Oneonta State: 19-0-2 (.952) | 2.42 GSA, 0.42 GAA (+2.00) | Avg. D-III OWP: .537 | Last Ten: 10-0-0

Franklin & Marshall: 16-1-3 (.875) | 1.78 GSA, 0.53 GAA (+1.25) | Avg. D-III OWP: .563 | Last Ten: 7-1-2

Brandeis: 19-2-0 (.905) | 1.96 GSA, 0.28 GAA (+1.68) | Avg. D-III OWP: .608 | Last Ten: 8-2-0

Amherst: 14-1-5 (.825) | 1.65 GSA, 0.75 GAA (+0.89) | Avg. D-III OWP: .564 | Last Ten: 6-1-3

Oneonta State Season Review

The Red Dragons’ 2013 season ended with an improbable loss to Oberlin in the first round of the tournament. Oneonta outshot the Yeomen 27 to 8 (13 to 5 SOG), but a penalty kick awarded against the run of play in the 66th minute led to a desperate chase for an equalizer and conceding another in the 88th minute. Coach Iain Byrne put their disappointment and disbelief succinctly into words: “It's hard to believe we lost." Now almost exactly a year later, Oneonta is ranked No. 3 in both polls and the only team in the nation not named Messiah still sporting an unbeaten record. The first clues that a stellar season might be in the works came via early to mid-September thrashings of Babson and Vassar, 4-0 and 4-1, respectively. Standing at 5-0, the Red Dragons then proceeded to win 14 more contests wrapped around home draws with Rochester and Cortland. The team’s efforts yielded a steady rise in the national rankings and a vise-grip on the top spot regionally. A sweep of the SUNYAC’s biggest post-season awards also was in the cards, as junior midfielder Dylan Williams (8g, 6a) earned Player of the Year honors, freshmen forward Cory Santangelo (13g, 1a) snagged Rookie of the Year, and Coach Iain Byrne was named Coach of the Year.

In contrast to last season’s uneven performance that resulted in an 11-5-4 record, the Red Dragons have been remarkably consistent, despite facing stern competition from Cortland and Brockport, the two SUNYAC at-large entries. No team has managed as much as a draw with Oneonta since September 27 when Cortland earned a 2-2 scoreline, and no one has extended the Red Dragons into OT since an away tilt at Potsdam on October 10. A very balanced approach has seen Oneonta achieve a 2.42 goals scored average (highest in the Atlantic sectional), complemented by the fourth best goals against average (.42) nationally (second to Brandeis in the sectional). Beyond the aforementioned Williams and Santangelo, junior forward Jake Sutherland (9g, 3a) and sophomore midfielder Hans Purtell (8g, 4a) help power the attack while on the defensive line juniors Jared Van Brunt and Matthew Matteo have been solid compliments to standout sophomore Anthony Passiatore in front of senior GK Vincent Pellegrino (12 clean sheets in 16 games). On average, Oneonta has used about 7 substitutes, including against Nichols in the second round.

Franklin & Marshall Season Review

Franklin and Marshall came into 2014 on the heels of the Diplomats’ finest season in more than a half-century. The historical run to the Elite 8 was literally frozen in its tracks in the middle of a bitterly cold polar vortex in Grantham, PA where Messiah inhospitably humbled the upstart visitors from nearby Lancaster, and yet it was clear that Coach Wagner (a Messiah star back in the day) had the Diplomats headed in the right direction. While the loss of All-American talisman Ben Beaver could have caused at least a speed bump, the success and taste of a deep NCAA run created a hunger for even more and indeed F&M already has trumped last year with a nearly impeccable record.

The Diplomats rattled off five straight wins to begin the season, including a pair of opening weekend 1-0 fixtures over traditional heavyweights Rutgers-Camden and York (PA). A 3-3 tie with Alvernia proved to be just a brief blip as ten opponents in a row were saddled with losses. With F&M seeming close to invincible and one of the last three remaining unbeaten teams, a No. 1 ranking wasn’t out of the question when top ranked Messiah was held to a tie in Week 8. However, as the regular season was winding down, the difficulty of attempting to run the table in the very competitive Centennial Conference finally took its toll. F&M tied rival Dickinson away in a scoreless duel (when Dickinson badly needed a result to remain in the at-large mix), and then an even more desperate Haverford stunned the hosting Diplomats in their conference semifinal. A NCAA at-large bid was already assured and hosting for the first weekend of the tournament still likely, but a hosting Sectionals may have been conceded to Oneonta because of the loss to the Fords. More significantly, the two late season blemishes gave rise to a bit of doubt over the Diplomats’ credentials. Whether sputtering or just needing to catch a second wind, placement in the brutal Atlantic quadrant was sure to provide an answer, and while that story is still unfolding F&M is again in the Sweet 16 after squeaking by Johnson & Wales 1-0 and surviving a 2-2 draw to advance via penalty kicks against a surging and formidable Rochester side.

F&M is led by senior All-American center back David Rosenfeld and four additional first team All-Centennial standouts: senior forward Jared Bomba (5g, 5a), senior forward Sam Lane (6g, 1a), senior defender Chris Scott, and junior GK Trevor Britton (112 shutouts and .53 GAA). That list doesn’t even include their leading goal scorer, junior midfielder Chase TenBrook (9g, 3a), or the conference Rookie of the Year, freshman forward Janse Schermerhorn (4g, 4a). Coach Wagner has used five to six substitutes in most tight matches and his team’s style in attack includes some of the possession and combination play that Messiah employs so effectively. But, with a relatively modest goals per game average of 1.78, it is clear that this is a balanced squad that, owing to its .53 GAA (11th in the nation), can grind out games when needed.

Brandeis Season Review

Coach Coven is in his 42nd season as the head man with Brandeis—an astounding tenure—and he has enjoyed a core group of seniors instrumental to the Judges’ resurgence to prominence over the past three years. Two consecutive Sweet 16 appearances in 2012 and 2013 have generated an attitude that even greater heights are attainable, and, like the other teams in this sectional, Brandeis has been considered among a handful of national title challengers to Messiah since September. One lingering question all along has been whether, when push comes to shove, the Judges will be able to navigate through a NESCAC roadblock, which really translates to Williams or Amherst. And here we are, with Brandeis in the Sweet 16, and Amherst standing very much in the way.

The Judges began the season 11-0, a streak that included an important home win over a talented Tufts—important because of the needling NESCAC issue in general and specifically to exact revenge for a 2013 loss to Tufts. The game was very tight despite the ultimate 2-0 outcome in Brandeis’ favor, but what mattered most is that they got the win. Otherwise, maybe the doubts deepen. An away loss at Rochester, another eventual at-large team, was followed by another five wins ensued before second UAA road loss at Chicago. That match in particular could have gone either way, and neither of the Judges’ two losses seemed to dent their confidence and they closed the regular season strong, if not spectacularly. Perhaps as a timely (and maybe helpful) preparation game, the NCAA tournament second round presented another NESCAC test in Bowdoin, and again Brandeis found a way to win. This year’s squad, which has probably grown tired of their ability to handle physical play being questioned, seems sharply focused on “survive and advance” by any means necessary. Playing attractive soccer is nice, but winning is better, and the Judges seem to have found a balance that allows them to grind out wins when needed as reflected in their .28 GAA which ranks second in the nation and tops in their sectional.

Brandeis is led by its trio of senior captains, UAA MVP forward Tyler Savonen (9g, 3a with 3 GWs), midfielder Michael Soboff (7g, 2a with 5 GWs), and outside back Robbie Lynch (2g, both GWs). Most opponents will be very aware of Savonen and Soboff while Lynch, returning after out a year with an injury, could catch teams unaware. Despite often being one of the slightest players on the pitch, Lynch is a relentless competitor, routinely winning 50/50 balls and headers against much larger opponents. Nothing short of the Final Four will satisfy these team leaders. Their supporting cast includes sophomore midfielder Josh Ocel (4g, 9a), sophomore forward Zach Vieira (6g, 2a), junior center back Conor Lanahan, junior defender Josh Hacunda, and First Team All-UAA GK, senior Joe Graffy.

Amherst Season Review

Following the 2012 campaign when Amherst never lost (and still was cruelly denied a Final Four ticket), 2013 saw them extend their unbeaten streak to an incredible 40 games, ending finally with another devastating exit in the Elite 8 at the hands (and foot in the 77th minute) of their bitter rival Williams, . . . again. The expectations at Amherst are as high as any school in the country. In the Lord Jeffs’ 2014 Season Outlook, we find a very clear articulation: “With a brand new season comes a brand new opportunity to make a mark; to be remembered; to leave a legacy.” Can’t you picture those words on a chalkboard right before a team leaves the locker room to start an Elite 8 encounter?

The fact that Coach Serpone needed to fill a couple of holes defensively did not alter a majority opinion that Amherst would continue its dominance in the highly rated NESCAC. The Lord Jeffs, however, did start slowly, needing extra time to narrowly gain a win at New England College in the season opener, then coming within 30 seconds of losing away at Middlebury before rescuing a draw. A 4-1 spanking of Williams and a 1-1 tie in the hyped showdown away at Tufts were sandwiched between a slew of 1-0 conference victories. A brief slump in mid-to-late October brought a 2-1 loss to Wesleyan and a 2-2 tie with Mount St. Mary, and for the first time since 2010 the top spot in the conference regular season was ceded to Tufts. Tufts then kindly handed back home field for the NESCAC tournament by losing to 8-seed Connecticut College, but after turning the Camels aside Amherst lost a penalty kick shootout to Bowdoin in the final. A NCAA at-large bid was never in doubt; however, there was not the usual aura, or home field, as Amherst started the tournament. After defeating Fitchburg State in a closer than expected 2-0 score, the Lord Jeffs found themselves face-to-face with St. Lawrence in a monster clash. The Saints, on their home field this time, were motivated to repay Amherst for an overtime loss in last year’s Sweet 16. Despite losing the statistical battle by a significant margin while the two powerhouses were deadlocked at 1-1, Amherst managed to survive through 110 minutes and then prevail via penalty kicks. The ride has not been as dominant as in the prior couple of seasons, but the Lord Jeffs are exactly where they believe they are supposed to be . . . in the Sweet 16 and very much alive to punch the ticket to the Final Four that has eluded them.

Coach Serpone has a very junior and sophomore-heavy squad including star attacking junior Nico Pascual-Leone (7g, 8a), junior forward Greg Singer (5g, 4a), junior midfielder Milton Rico (2g, 2a), junior GK Thomas Bull (.75 GAA), sophomore winger Christopher Martin (5g, 1a), sophomore midfielder Andrew Orozco (3g, 2a), and sophomore defenders Justin Aoyama and Rohan Sood. Strong senior leadership comes from All-NESCAC defender Gabriel Wirz (3g, 4a) and super sub Bubba Van Wie (who must sit out the Sweet 16 game on red card suspension). Amherst boasts tremendous size and at any time can have four or more players 6’3 and above loading the box on set pieces. This squad, with lowest national ranking and highest GAA in the Sectional, could almost be considered Cinderella-like and, after two seasons of unrelenting intense pressure, not playing at home, no record-setting unbeaten streak on the line, and the status of underdog, even if just barely, may suit them well.

Seniors' 4-year Record (through Nov. 16)

Oneonta State: 62-13-10 (.788) overall | NCAA's ('11-'12-'13-'14): 6-2-1, Sweet 16 - '11-'14, Elite 8 - '11, Final Four - '11

Franklin & Marshall: 55-16-8 (.747) overall | NCAA's ('13-'14): 4-1-1, Sweet 16 - '13-'14, Elite 8 - '13

Brandeis: 68-15-3 (.808) overall | NCAA's ('12-'13-'14): 6-2-0, Sweet 16 - '12-'13-'14

Amherst: 65-4-12 (.877) overall | NCAA's ('11-'12-'13-'14): 8-2-2, Sweet 16 - '11-'12-'13-'14, Elite 8 - '11-'12-'13

Tournament Experience

Fans of Division III soccer over the past two to three years will view all teams in this sectional as among the elite programs nationally. In actuality, Amherst is the only program that consistently has been a presence in the NCAA tournament over the last decade. The Lord Jeffs have made the tournament every year since missing out in 2005. During that stretch, Amherst has reached a Final Four in 2008 (in Serpone’s second season) and now has notched five consecutive trips to the Sweet 16 while looking for a third straight Elite 8 and passage (finally) to another Final Four.

Brandeis won the NCAA title in its very first appearance in 1976 and continued as a Division III power for nearly the next decade before a 25-year tournament drought, not making the tournament again until 2012 when the current seniors were sophomores. They are now in their third Sweet 16 in a row, losing the previous two times to Williams.

Franklin & Marshall in the pre-NCAA tournament days were declared “National Champs” in 1952 and made their first NCAA appearance in 1981 before suffering through a long drought of 24 years before their next appearance in 2006. Wagner has revived a F&M program that finished dead last in the Centennial in 2003, and now in 2014 after consecutive Sweet 16 trips (including last year’s run to the Elite 8) he oversees what is considered one of the more elite programs around.

Host Oneonta State spent 16 years in Division I before beginning the transition into Division III in 2006. In their fourth year of eligibility for the Division III championship, the Red Dragons reached the Final Four, and the freshmen from that 2011 squad are now seniors and have made the tournament all four years.

Tournament Re-Matches

The winner of the F&M vs. Oneonta State match will enjoy a very new experience. Neither squad has ever played Amherst or Brandeis. The Diplomats and the Red Dragons have played each other twice, a home-and-home arrangement the previous two years, so there definitely will be some familiarity. They opened the 2012 season at F&M, as the Diplomats rode Ben Beaver’s two goals to a 2-1 win. F&M also won the 2013 version at Oneonta 1-0, in a feisty affair that saw two yellow cards and red card for Oneonta despite F&M committing more fouls, 17 to 13

Amherst and Brandeis have not squared off since playing annually from 1996 through 1999. Amherst enjoyed a 3-0-1 record for that series. Given the recent prominence of both programs, it is somewhat surprising that the Lord Jeffs and Judges haven’t faced off over the past few seasons. However, they do share a very notable common opponent (and villain) named Williams, as the Ephs bounced Brandeis and Amherst out of the tournament on consecutive days

Why they will advance to the Final Four

Oneonta State: Oneonta entered the Sweet 16 with perhaps the most sustained momentum of any team in the nation. The Red Dragons have the best record and the most balance, and the comforts of home will provide the necessary edge to get through F&M in what could be a feisty affair given last year’s donnybrook. Dylan Williams produces a burst of magic that F&M can’t manage to counter, and Oneonta wins 2-1. Before the Elite 8 game, the literary-minded Coach Byrne inspires visualization of Swope Soccer Village through the thicket of a dark, cloudy Upstate New York skyline, shining a path to victory over the exhausted and bruised survivor of Saturday’s other epic clash

Franklin & Marshall: F&M watched the selection show and just kept hoping they didn’t see the word ‘Messiah.’ The wish was granted, in exchange for a path through treacherous but navigable waters. Oneonta picks the wrong time to have their first real slip of the season, as F&M scores early on a miscue, followed by an early 2nd half goal that sinks the Red Dragons. David Rosenfeld huddles up the F&M back four who go into lockdown mode. Oneonta gets one back, but it is too little too late as Jared Bomba runs out the clock by the corner flag. In the Elite 8 game, Coach Wagner won’t allow his troops to be distracted by all of the flexing and posing of the other winner. The Diplomats show the quality that fueled their rise to a No. 2 national ranking midway through the season.

Brandeis: Attitude is everything. There is hoping you can win, thinking you can win, and knowing you are going to win. When a team has moved the dial towards the latter, you find titles for game recaps we wouldn’t have seen before: Staying on the Road to KC: Miskin goal leads men past Bowdoin, 1-0. The Judges will be plenty tough enough to take Amherst’s first, second, and third punches and then launch a haymaker of their own midway through the 2nd overtime period when sniper Tyler Savonen fires a laser into the left side netting. Feeling relieved and buoyed by knocking the bully off the block, Brandeis will cruise against either Elite 8 foe (and, of course, the translation of ‘cruising’ is 1-0).

Amherst: They treaded water, bided time, went through the motions [insert your own metaphor here], etc during the regular season just waiting for this weekend to come. This time nothing is left to chance on how this Amherst movie is going to end. Brandeis (and then the winner of the other game) is going to see an Amherst side never seen before. The Lord Jeffs explode at the whistle and inside the first 20 minutes score off a scrum in the box. Brandeis wants this too and responds as though it is the last game of their lives (and for some it is), equalizing late in the 1st half. This titanic contest remains deadlocked until the 84th minute when Nico Pascual-Leone threads a pass to an unheralded freshman substitute who gets his first goal of the season and the game-winner. Redemption is sweet as the next day Amherst rolls over Oneonta or F&M 3-0.

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