Ready to roll; Oneonta men's soccer preview for the national championship weekend

"Our goal from the beginning of the season was to play for a national title," stated junior captain Dylan Williams (Monroe/Monroe-Woodbury).
 
The SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team will have an opportunity to play for a national title if they can win one more game this Friday in the NCAA Division III national semifinals in Kansas City, Mo.  The Red Dragons will face Wheaton (IL) College at noon EST at the Swoope Soccer Village.  The winner will play again on Saturday at 2:30pm EST against the winner of the Ohio Wesleyan/Tufts University match.
 
This Friday's match will be the first neutral site game for Oneonta this season.  The Red Dragons put together a 13-0-2 record at home while going a perfect 8-0 on the road.
 
"As one of the three teams to receive a first round bye, Wheaton may be the most talented team in the country," said Coach Iain Byrne when asked about his opponent in the national semifinals.  "Any team that can travel to Montclair State and score five goals will get everyone's attention, and we are under no illusions of the task ahead. They are big, strong, fast and technical, with two All-Americans in midfield and a 6'-4" center forward with twenty goals. I think we should get a medal just for showing up! The good thing about Wheaton is that they play an attractive attacking style just like us, so I am expecting the game to be a spectacle worthy of the occasion."
 
Oneonta (21-0-2) is reaching the national semifinals for the second time in four years and is the one remaining unbeaten team in Division III after Tufts eliminated Messiah this past weekend.  The 21 wins for Oneonta is a new single season record, already having broken the previous mark of 18 wins set by the 2011 squad that played in the final weekend of the season in San Antonio. The current streak of 23 games without a loss is also a program best.
 
"Besides having talented players, the key to this season has been the team spirit and camaraderie," said Byrne.  "Each player has accepted his role and been supportive of one another.  I also feel that our team trip to Barcelona this past May was the catalyst that brought the group together and, this season, the team has gelled right from the first day of preseason."
 
Senior captain Mitchell Cain (Marcy/Whitesboro) echoed coach Byrne's feelings when asked about why this season has been so special.  "We have felt from the beginning that this could be our year.  We pretty much had the same team coming back and with the new guys, we haven't missed a beat."
 
The Red Dragons earned its automatic NCAA tournament berth after winning the SUNYAC tournament.  The Red Dragons defeated SUNY Geneseo, 4-0, in the semifinals before defeating SUNY Cortland, 2-1, in the championship game.
 
After receiving a first round bye in the tournament, Oneonta was held off the scoreboard until two late goals lifted them to a, 2-0, second round victory against Nichols College.  SUNYAC Rookie of the Year, freshman Cory Santangelo (Sayville/Sayville), got the Red Dragons on the board in the 83^rd minute off an assist from sophomore Hans Purtell (Johnson City/Johnson City).  In the 85^th minute, junior Jake Sutherland (Syracuse/West Genesee) headed a ball past the goalkeeper off a corner kick.
 
The Red Dragons hosted the sectional round this past weekend and faced Franklin & Marshall in its first contest.  Oneonta fell behind, 1-0, before rebounding with a pair of goals to take the 2-1 win.  In the sectional championship game, the Red Dragons left no doubt, as they shutout Brandeis 3-0 to punch their ticket to Kansas City.
 
When asked about the comparison of this year's squad and the 2011 team DeBottis feels that this year's team "has a stronger chemistry" while Cain added that, although not as "physically big," this year's team is "strong technically."
 
Oneonta, which was ranked No. 3 in the NSCAA final regular season Coaches' poll, is making its fourth straight NCAA appearance in the Division III tournament since rejoining the ranks the Division in 2006 and becoming eligible for the NCAA tournament in 2008.  In 2011, in its first Division III tournament, the Red Dragons advanced all the way to the national championship weekend in San Antonio.
 
This is Oneonta's eighth overall appearance in the NCAA tournament.  Prior to 2006, Oneonta competed in Division I & II before officially joining Division III.  During that time, Oneonta made four consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament from 1972-75.  In 1972, the Red Dragons played in the first Division II national championship game while from 1973-75, the Red Dragons competed in the Division I tournament.
 
When compared to each other during the two, four-year runs, the years from 1972-75 had an overall winning percentage of .825 (47-8-5) while the teams from 2011 through the current season has a winning percentage of .793 (64-13-10).  Both sets of teams had the same formula for success.  They dominated offensively while holding opponents down defensively.
 
Overall, Oneonta has scored 57 goals while holding its opponents to 10.  The Red Dragons have recorded a single season program record 15 shutouts this fall for a shutout percentage of 65 percent, which is fourth in Division III.  The Red Dragons have been amongst the Division III team leaders in goals against average and currently stand fourth at 0.43.  Oneonta also has a huge advantage in shots 367-163 and corner kicks 152-67.
 
The Red Dragons led the SUNYAC in scoring at nearly 2.5 goals per game while leading the conference defensively in goals against average.
 
Individually, the Red Dragons have six players who have registered double-digits in points including four juniors, one sophomore and a rookie.  Santangelo leads the squad with 30 points on 14 goals and two assists.  Within the SUNYAC, Santangelo is third in both goals and points.
 
Junior Jake Sutherland (Syracuse/West Genesee), who scored both game-winning goals this past weekend, has scored 11 goals while adding three assists for 25 points.  His two game-winners in the sectional round give him seven for the year, which leads both the Red Dragons and the SUNYAC.
 
SUNYAC Player of the Year Williams is next with 23 points on eight goals and a team best seven assists, which is also second in the SUNYAC.
 
"We have so much depth this year," Williams said.  "In past years we relied on more individuals, but with this team, any player can make it happen."
 
Senior Justin Rivera (Bay Shore/Bay Shore) added, "We have skill and the perfect mix of hard-working players.  "We can play with anyone."
 
Sophomore Hans Purtell (Johnson City/Johnson City) has 20 points on eight goals and four assists.  Juniors Colin Volpe (Commack/St. Anthony's) (11 points) and Greg Silvestro (West Sayville/Connetquot) (10 points) round out this group.
 
In the goal, senior Vincent Pellegrino (Baldwin/Baldwin) has been the No. 1 keeper for the Red Dragons.  He has logged 1,644 minutes and has a 0.27 goals against average with 13 shutouts, which is a new single season program record.  The second team All-SUNYAC keeper is 17-0-1 entering the national championship weekend.
 
Pellegrino is second in Division III in goals against and third in save percentage (.900).  He leads the SUNYAC in both of those categories as well as shutouts.
 
"Vinnie assumed the starting role early, and with his performances and our defensive record, it has been hard to give Dan and Brian Wagstaff (Apalachin/Chenango Valley) a real chance," Byrne commented on the unselfishness of his senior goalkeepers.  "At no time have they complained, and on senior day they both came to me and insisted that Vinnie start the match to help improve his chances of earning All-American status. In my 25 years of coaching I have never seen such direct support for a teammate, and that attitude is prevalent amongst the group."
 
Oneonta has not faced any of the other three teams that are in Kansas City.  In 2011, Ohio Wesleyan was in San Antonio where they won the national championship.
 
When asked about returning to the final four senior goalkeeper, Dan DeBottis said, "We know what to expect this time around.  In 2011, we got caught up in everything that was going on.  We weren't focused the way we should have been."
 
Rivera chimed in, "We get to finish what we started as freshmen.  We will be playing for those seniors and our teammates."
 
Williams said, "I want to be a part of history.  We want to enjoy the experience, but we are going to Kansas City to win."
 
When asked what to expect this time around Byrne stated, "When we played in our first national championship weekend in 2011, we played the last game of the day on Friday and I feel we didn't manage the day well.  This year we are first off and that has been the routine we have had for the past three weekends, so we will be able to follow our normal schedule."
 
Scouting Wheaton
Wheaton won the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship and the conference's tournament to pick up the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Wheaton is 21-3-0 on the year, to record the sixth 20-win season in program history. Wheaton is appearing in the Division III Semifinals for the sixth time in school history, with previous trips in 1984; 1990; 1997; 1999 and 2006.
 
This year's CCIW Championship is the 19th all-time for the Thunder. Wheaton has made 34 NCAA Tournament appearances since 1974, second all-time only to Ohio Wesleyan for most Division III appearances.
 
Wheaton has out-scored opponents 10-1 in the postseason, with five goals by junior forward Stephen Golz in Wheaton's three NCAA Tournament matches. After receiving a first-round bye, Wheaton bested UW-Whitewater 3-0 in the second round behind two goals by Stephen Golz. The Thunder dominated Wartburg College 5-0 in the Sectional Semifinals as Golz scored twice more. Wheaton advanced to the National Semifinal with a 2-1 victory against Trinity (Texas) as Stephen and his brother Jordan Golz each tallied goals for the Thunder. Wheaton goalkeeper Matt Paprocki has a 0.33 goals against average in the postseason, with 14 saves.
 
Junior Marshall Hollingsworth, the 2014 CCIW Player of the Year, has scored nine goals with eight assists this season. Three-time All-CCIW honoree Noah Anthony is tied for the team lead with 10 assists as well as adding a career-high seven goals. Jordan Golz has scored nine times and has seven assists. Stephen Golz has netted a team-best 20 goals and added three assists for the Thunder.
 
Elliot Borge and Adam Blackman Borge each earned All-CCIW accolades in the midfield. Borge has four goals to go with five assists while Blackman has eight goals and six assists. Matt Paprocki has played in every match in net for the Thunder this season. In 24 matches he has allowed just 18 goals, with a 0.75 goals against average. Paprocki has tallied 11 shutouts.
 
Scouting Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan (17-4-4) advanced to the national semifinals on penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie against 17th-ranked Christopher Newport in a national quarterfinal game.  The Bishops had defeated sixth-ranked Kenyon, 2-0, in the sectional semifinals, and opened tournament play by defeating Penn State-Behrend, 3-2, in overtime and advancing on penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie against Calvin.
 
Ohio Wesleyan was an at-large selection to the NCAA Division III tournament.  The Battling
Bishops won the North Coast Athletic Conference championship with an 8-0-1 record, Ohio
Wesleyan's seventh consecutive NCAC title.  Ohio Wesleyan advanced to the championship game of the NCAC tournament, falling to Kenyon in overtime by a 2-1 count.
 
Ohio Wesleyan was ranked No. 14 in the final regular-season NSCAA Division III rankings and No. 15 in the last D3soccer.com rankings.
 
Ohio Wesleyan is making its NCAA-record 37^th Division III playoff appearance.  The Battling Bishops won the NCAA Division III national championship in 1998 and 2011.  This is Ohio Wesleyan's 10th appearance in the national semifinals.
 
Nine Battling Bishops were named to this season's All-NCAC teams.
 
Senior forward Colton Bloecher was named NCAC Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.  He leads the NCAC in goals (18) and points (40), and his 6 game winning
goals ranks second in the conference.  Bloecher also is a 2-time Capital One Academic All-America® selection, taking first-team honors in 2014.
 
Junior back Evan Lee, senior back Drew Pang, and junior forward Brian Schaefer were first-team All-NCAC selections; junior midfielder Lonnie Barnes, sophomore forward Kyle Baum, and senior goalkeeper Colin Beemiller were second-team All-NCAC choices; and sophomore midfielder Nick Norman and senior forward Taylor Rieger were honorable mention picks.
 
Scouting Tufts
The Tufts Men's Soccer team will play in its first NCAA "Final Four" after defeating two-time defending national champion Messiah, 1-0, in the NCAA Quarterfinals on November 23.
 
The Jumbo program, unranked for most of the 2014 season, was playing in its second NCAA Quarterfinal. They joined the 1994 Tufts team in reaching the "Elite 8." Tufts' win over Messiah, which had won eight of the last 10 national titles, established a program record for victories in a season. The Jumbos will enter the NCAA semi-finals with a 14-2-4 mark, surpassing 1994's 13 wins.
 
Making its fourth NCAA appearance overall and second under current head coach Josh Shapiro, Tufts enters the semi-finals with a 6-3 record overall in NCAA Tournament games.
The 2014 Jumbos went undefeated through the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) season at 7-0-3 to earn the #1 seed in the conference championship for the first time. However, they lost 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament to Connecticut College at home on November 1.
 
The Jumbos were uncertain about whether they would receive an NCAA berth following the NESCAC quarterfinal loss and results in other conferences that did not help them. However, they earned an at large berth into the NCAA field and have proven they deserved it. Tufts won the Nov. 15-16 Regional at Wheaton (MA) with victories over Dickinson (2-1) and the host Lyons (2-0). They advanced to the "Final Four" after winning in the third round over host Muhlenberg 2-0 and knocking off Messiah in the Sectionals Nov. 22-23.
 
Through games of November 23, Tufts is ranked 11th in the NCAA Statistics with a 0.52 goals against average. The shutout of Messiah was the 12th in 20 games for Tufts. The Jumbos' 2.10 goals per game average are tied for 75th nationally.
 
Six members of the 2014 Tufts men's soccer team were on the All-NESCAC teams, the most in team history. With five players on the two teams, the Jumbos also had the most among the conference's 11 teams. Senior co-captains Maxime Hoppenot and Sam Williams are on the First Team, while senior forward Gus Santos, junior midfielder Jason Kayne and sophomore goalkeeper Scott Greenwood made the second team. His peers also voted Shapiro as NESCAC Coach of the Year.