Men's Sectional Previews: Midwest

By Henry Loughlin

Third Round - Saturday

Quarterfinals - Sunday

Sectional Final, 1:00 am CT

How they reached the Sweet 16

2016 Statistical Overview

Chicago Season Review

Prior to the season, I personally thought that Chicago would be the clear favorite for the UAA title, as head coach Mike Babst has built a side that is pacey, skilled, and experienced. What I didn’t think, however, is that they would finish the regular season undefeated and breeze into the Sweet 16, but they have.

Chicago’s success has been coming. Last season, the Maroons came into the regular season highly-touted. However, a 4-0 home humbling against Loras brought Chicago back down to Earth, perhaps more abruptly than the Maroons would have wanted. The team sputtered through the rest of the regular season, going 6-4-2, and may well have missed the NCAA Tournament if it wasn’t for the team’s 3-2 double-overtime win against rival WashU on the last day of the season, a game in which Chicago rallied from a 2-0 deficit. Once it got to NCAAs, however, the Maroons more than held their own, downing Thomas More 3-0 in the 1st Round, before falling on penalty kicks to Kenyon in the 2nd Round.

With 9 of the team’s 11 starters returning, expectations were high in the Chicago camp. And the team has certainly lived up to it: Chicago romped through its regular season, going 15-0 in its first 15 games, with its first blemish coming on Oct. 28, a 0-0 draw at Case Western. Two days later, Chicago won its 2nd UAA title in 3 years with a game to spare, beating Carnegie Mellon 2-0 on the road, before ending the regular season with another 0-0 draw at WashU. The Maroons' 16-0-2 regular season record was good enough for a 1st Round bye in the NCAA Tournament, allowing Chicago to pick up where it left off in the 2nd Round with a 4-0 home thumping of Westminster (Mo.).

The toughest thing about defending against Chicago is that the Maroons are extremely strong, possessing numerous threats. Sophomore Max Lopez, who scored 6 goals and notched 3 assists as a freshman en route to attaining All-UAA 1st Team Honors, has more than doubled his output this year, scoring 13 goals and assisting on 11 others to lead the team in scoring. Senior Brenton Desai is next with 9 goals and 4 assists, followed closely by freshman Dayo Adeyosun and his 7 goals and 5 assists. Adeyosun also leads the team in game-winners, with 4 to his name in his first year. Even with its high-powered attack, offense is far from the only part of the field where Chicago excels: the Maroons also have the UAA Player of the Year, sophomore midfielder Nicco Capotosto, and UAA Rookie of the Year, defender Sam Drablos. Add in senior center back DJ Weis, a two-time All-UAA selection, and junior goalkeeper Hill Bonin, a three-time All-UAA honoree, and it’s little wonder that Chicago has reached such incredible heights this year.

Even with its incredible resume thus far this year, Chicago will know that the job is far from done. Ranked No. 1 by D3soccer.com, this team has the potential to go all the way this year, but with such accolades comes the need to manage the pressure. Unlike two years ago, when the Maroons were surprise winners of the UAA—going 5-0-2 in conference but just 6-5 in non-conference action—Chicago will not sneak up on any team this year; conversely, the Maroons will get every team’s best game. That said, Chicago has arguably the most talented roster in the nation—one that seems primed to bring home its first NCAA title in men’s soccer.

Redlands Season Review

A national finalist in 2001, Redlands is making its 6th NCAA appearance in coach Ralph Perez's 11th year. Last year, the Bulldogs made it to the 2nd Round before bowing out to eventual Elite 8 squad Trinity (Texas) in a one-goal loss. This year, Redlands has already gone one better, advancing to its sixth Sweet 16 appearance in program history and third under Perez's tutelage.

After a scoreless draw in its opening game against Cal St. Dom Hills, the Bulldogs embarked on a five-game winning streak before losing to fellow NCAA participant Christopher Newport on Sept. 16. After another defeat to Occidental just 3 days later, Redlands won 7 in a row - a span of 28 days - before dropping 3 in a row. The Bulldogs pulled it together for their last game, a home match against Occidental on Oct. 29, and Redlands exacted revenge with an emphatic 4-0 win on Senior Night. From there, the Bulldogs rode opportunistic offense and stifling defense to their second SCIAC title in as many years, beating Claremont-M-S and Chapman by identical 2-0 scorelines in the semifinal and final, respectively.

The NCAA Tournament would provide more excitement for Redlands. In its 1st Round game against WashU, the Bulldogs rallied from a 2-0 second-half deficit with two goals in the last 16 minutes from midfielder Casey Chubbfertal to tie the score at 2-2. Overtime couldn’t produce a winner, but Redlands emerged victorious on penalty kicks, 4-3. The 2nd Round saw Redlands pitted against host DePauw, where—once again—the Bulldogs rallied from a second-half deficit. This time, however, the squad didn't need overtime, as, after junior striker Chase Boone equalized, they emerged victorious on defender Ben Thompson's 75th minute goal. Their reward for surviving the first two rounds was a date with Chicago, the nation’s No. 1 team.

Redlands boasts a well-balanced offense. The Bulldogs are led in scoring by Boone, who has 17 goals and 6 assists to his name, good for 16th (tied) in the nation. Classmate Chubbfertal is also in double figures with 11 goals and a team-leading 8 assists; he also leads the team in game-winning goals with 5. Behind those two, Redlands has 13 more players who have found the net this season. Junior goalkeeper John Melito started the majority of the team's games in the second half of the season, and has a .863 save percentage, putting him 12th in the nation, and a .56 goals against average (13th in the nation).

A squad with extensive talent in its starting ranks and off the bench, Redlands is known as an attacking side with unique technical ability. The Bulldogs have 33 players on their roster, illustrating an extensive amount of depth that goes far beyond the first XI. Moreover, having advanced to the Sweet 16, the Bulldogs have fought off solid competition in WashU and DePauw, illustrating their ability to hang tight in high-pressure situations. And while their biggest test of the season will certainly come against undefeated Chicago, which is currently the nation's No. 1 team and will be playing on its home field, you can be sure that Perez will have his troops ready for the occasion.

Benedictine Season Review

Making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1993, it's safe to say that not many predicted that Benedictine would be in the Sweet 16 this year. Yet here the Eagles are. The 16-4-2 squad has notched 12 wins in its last 14, clearly an illustration that this team is playing its best soccer at the right time of year.

A 45-minute drive from Chicago's Stagg Field, Benedictine will no doubt relish the short trip east for its Sweet 16 matchup with St. Thomas. The Eagles started the season 2-3, but rebounded in impressive fashion, and Benedictine hasn’t lost in over a month. Hosting the NACC tournament, the Eagles romped to the title, downing Aurora 2-0 in the semifinals before dismissing Wisconsin Lutheran 3-0 in the final. As a result, Benedictine won its first NACC title in history, setting up its first NCAA date in 23 years with Carthage in the 1st Round.

Traveling to Kenosha, WI to battle Carthage—a team ranked No. 21 in the latest D3soccer.com top 25—was never going to be an easy task for the Eagles. And things got even more ominous for Benedictine when Carthage went up 1-0 on a third-minute penalty kick. Yet Benedictine fought back in admirable fashion, equalizing less than six minutes later through sophomore forward Erik Stammer. It took nearly another 100 minutes—99:36 to be exact—before the decisive goal would come, but junior Drew Schmucker buried his penalty kick with 1:33 left in the second overtime to send the Eagles to a 2nd Round game against UW-Whitewater. This time, Benedictine built a 2-0 lead, and eventually held on for a seismic 2-1 victory.

A former assistant at Amherst, head coach Attila Schmidt likely couldn't have imagined a better first season in charge of the Eagles. Junior forward Nick Capetanos is second in the nation in total points, with 61, and third in goals (27) to lead the Eagles. While Benedictine doesn't have another player with similarly superlative totals, Stammer has 10 goals and 7 assists on the year, giving the Eagles a strong one-two punch. Many teams are well-equipped to stop one standout striker; few have the resources to keep two quiet for a full 90 minutes.

At the other end of the field, goalkeeper Antonio Marti-Polo has a save percentage of .828 and a goals against average of .74, both very solid figures. More often than not, Benedictine's average of 2.32 goals per game is more than enough for the Eagles to be victorious, as evidenced by their impressive record.

There is certainly ample reason for optimism in the Benedictine camp. To get to the Elite 8, though, they’ll have to go up against a St. Thomas squad which is 18-1-3, and will be just as fired up to be in the Sweet 16. However, Benedictine has made history and defied expectations this entire year, and, with a stellar offense and tight defense, there’s little reason to believe that the Eagles can’t accomplish even more in this exceptional season.

St. Thomas Season Review

When St. Thomas went 12-7-1 last year en route to a 2-0 loss to St. Olaf in the MIAC Championship, it was evident that the program was certainly close to being a contender for an NCAA Tournament bid. What most likely didn't know, however, is that the aptly-named Tommies would not only get a bid the following year, but would enter the 2016 Tournament with just one loss to its name. Head coach Jon Lowery took over the program in time for the 2012 season, and has posted winning records in each of his first 5 seasons, although this year's 18-1-3 mark is by far his best at St. Thomas.

The Tommies romped through the regular season, going 7-1-2 in conference, the lone defeat coming in a 2-0 home loss to Augsburg on Oct. 29 in its last regular season game. And while having its first defeat come at such a crucial juncture may have knocked some teams' confidence, St. Thomas didn't have to wait long to get revenge, as they beat the Auggies in overtime just four days later in the MIAC semifinals. The MIAC final against Macalester was similarly tense, but the Tommies managed to get it done there, too, winning 1-0 at home.

Hosting a pod of four teams, St. Thomas faced St. Scholastica in the 1st Round on Saturday afternoon. The Tommies trailed 1-0 with less than 3 minutes to play, perhaps suggesting that it would have to wait another year for its first NCAA win in 25 years. With things looking glum, substitute Tony Kuplic played the unlikely hero. A senior, Kuplic was cut from the team as a freshman, rejoined the squad this fall, and had just 8 appearances to his name this fall. With just 2:49 left in regulation, he buried the equalizer to score his first career goal, before heading home a 109th-minute winner to send the home crowd into raptures. The next day, against Luther, Kuplic made it 3 goals in 2 games, as he scored the second goal in the team’s 2-0 victory, enabling the Tommies to advance to the Sweet 16 for just the second time in school history—the other being back in 1990, when they lost to UC San Diego.

This year, St. Thomas' calling card has been its defense. The team allows just .35 goals per game, with sophomore Aidan Hogan, who has started 12 of the team's 22 matches, including the last 4, having the nation's best goals against average, .157, and second-best save percentage, .939. Senior Grant Larson, who started 10 contests this year, is also extremely dependable between the pipes, with a GAA of .49 and a save percentage of .848. At the other end of the pitch, the Tommies epitomize the definition of a “balanced offense.” Senior defender Mark Heydt leads the team in scoring with 7 goals and 9 assists, while the next-highest scorer is junior Shae Bottum with 5 goals and 4 assists. In total, 11 players have found the net for St. Thomas, who has scored 35 goals on the year. And while 35 goals equals out to a rather modest 1.59 goals per game, it’s usually enough to get the job done; the team has only conceded 8 all season.

Knowing its strengths, St. Thomas will certainly look to keep things tight against Benedictine. The Tommies will be well aware of the threat that Capetanos will pose, and will do their best to keep him in check throughout the game. If St. Thomas can do that, as well as execute at the other end of the pitch, the Tommies have a great chance to advance to their first Elite 8 in school history.

Head Coaches

Seniors' 4-year Record (through Nov. 15)

Why they will advance to the Final Four

Chicago: With as great of a chance as ever to be the first UAA school to make the Final 4 since NYU in 2006, the Maroons have simply come too far to not finish the job. Redlands gives Chicago a spirited effort in the Sweet 16, but Chicago simply has too much firepower for the California side. Then, in the Elite 8, Chicago gets the winner of Benedictine-St. Thomas, and while each side would pose a unique threat, Chicago’s depth offensively and stifling defense sees it through to the Final Four, allowing the Maroons to move closer to the ultimate goal of bringing home their first men’s soccer national title.

Redlands: Redlands has already knocked off a pair of highly-touted opponents in NCAA action. Facing a Chicago team that gives the Bulldogs by far the toughest test they’ve had all season, Redlands manages to stifle the Chicago offense and uses opportunistic finishing to get things done at the other end. Buoyed by upsetting the No. 1 team in the country, Redlands rides the emotional high of its scalp into a matchup with either Benedictine or St. Thomas. Either team would certainly make it difficult for the Bulldogs, but Redlands has too much momentum to be stopped, and the Bulldogs make it to the Final Four.

Benedictine: In NCAA games, which are often incredibly tense and close by nature, it often comes down to big-game players making decisive plays. With that said, no other team in this pod has a scorer as prolific as Capetanos. The striker makes the difference against a resolute St. Thomas side, scoring late in the game, before advancing to a date with—barring an upset of Redlands proportion—Chicago. In the Elite 8 matchup which quickly turns into a barnburner, Capetanos scores a brace, the second coming in overtime, as Benedictine pulls the upset of the season and advances to the Final Four.

St. Thomas: Less than 3 minutes away from elimination last weekend, St. Thomas takes full advantage of its second lease on postseason life. The Tommies use their smothering defense to shut down both Capetanos and Stammer and get a goal from a set piece to propel them into the Elite 8. Assuming that Chicago can get by Redlands, St. Thomas’ defense bends against the Maroons, but doesn’t break, and yet another opportunistic finish is enough to see them squeak by Chicago, allowing coach Lowery and his team to celebrate the biggest win in program history before preparing for the Final Four.

Comments or feedback for the author?  E-mail Henry Loughlin.