Press release written by Sports Information Graduate Intern Mary Kate Rumbaugh
NEWARK, Del. - - For the second consecutive year, the Wilmington University men's soccer team received an at-large bid into the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Super Region 1 Tournament.
The Wildcats received the No. 5 seed for the second year in a row in the Super Region 1 bracket, and will travel to No. 4 Franklin Pierce on Saturday, November 23 for a second round matchup at Sodexo Field at 6:00 p.m. This is the fifth time in program history that the Wildcats have made the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament, but the first time in back-to-back years. This will be the first time since 2011 that the Ravens will be hosting a regional game.
Saturday's contest will be the fourth overall time that both teams have met, including their last meeting in 2013, where the Wildcats defeated the Ravens, 2-1, on their home turf.
The winner advances to play the winner of No. 1 seed Adelphi vs. No. 8 Millersville/No. 9 Post for in the Third Round at the higher seed.
Tickets/Admission for NCAA Division II Super Region 1 Tournament:
Adults- $8.00
Students with ID- $3.00
Senior Citizens/Children- $5.00
Children under two year's old- Free
Links to Follow the NCAA Division II Super Region 1 Tournament:
Live Stats: https://www.fpuravens.com/sports/msoc/2019-20/boxscores/20191123_n9af.xml
Live Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/franklinpierce/
Franklin Pierce Tournament Home Page: https://www.fpuravens.com/sports/msoc/2019-20/NCAA/ChampCentral
NCAA Division II National Tournament Bracket: https://www.fpuravens.com/sports/msoc/2019-20/NCAA/2019-MSOC-Bracket.pdf
NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Home Page: https://www.ncaa.com/sports/soccer-men/d2
Link to Wilmington's Regional Seeding Video: http://athletics.wilmu.edu/sports/msoc/2019-20/videos/20191119-irv9xdu8
Scouting the No. 5 Wilmington University Wildcats:
The Wildcats are making their fifth appearance in the NCAA Regional Tournament since joining the NCAA ranks for the 2004 season. All five berths have been of the at-large variety.
Wilmington is currently receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll, being as high as No. 8 this year. They are also ranked 2nd in the final United Soccer Coaches East Region Poll.
The Wildcats finished first in the CACC Regular Season earning the top seed for the CACC Tournament for the second year in a row. The men faced off with No. 8 Concordia in the quarterfinals of the CACC Tournament, where they defeated the Clippers, 7-4 at the WU Athletics Complex. Wilmington then faced off with No. 5 Georgian Court in the semifinals, but fell, 4-2 after being a man down by the 15th minute of play.
Lorne Bickley is the CACC and national leader in goals this year with 26, along with goals per game (1.30), points (54), and points per game (2.70). Abdul Mansaray is also second in the CACC with 17 goals this year, while ranking tied for third in all NCAA Division II. Shawn Genus ranks third in the nation with 12 assists this year, as Fredrik Bentdal is tied fifth nationally with 11 assists.
On the back line for the Wildcats, Joe Bell, Elliott Johnson, and Omario Rosen have helped CACC Goalkeeper of the Year, Gabriel Prgomet out by allowing a 1.09 goals against average and 22 goals this year. Prgomet takes a .703 save percentage into the Regional Tournament.
The Wildcats earned four major award winners this season for the CACC, while placing seven student-athletes on the All-CACC teams. Lorne Bickley picked up CACC and D2CCA East Region Player of the Year, as Joe Bell was named CACC Defensive Player of the Year. Gabriel Prgomet earned CACC Goalkeeper of the Year, as Nick Papanicolas earned CACC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.
Scouting the No. 4 Franklin Pierce Ravens:
Franklin Pierce earned their at-large bid this season into the Super Region 1 bracket for the first time since the 2016 season. The Ravens secured the second place spot in the NE10 regular season. They went into the NE10 tournament and defeated Bentley in the quarterfinals, 5-1, but were eliminated in the semifinal round to Saint Rose in penalty kicks.
Franklin Pierce also earned the Defensive Player of the Year in the NE10 conference, as junior Carlos Ferrando Felis earned it in his first year as a Raven. Franklin Pierce also added eight student-athletes to the yearly honor awards, including Stefan Lohberger, and Niklas Laudahn who earned All-Conference First Team, with Javier Garcia Borras and Cristobal Andreu, who were voted Second Team. Antonio Ferreira and Clay Thomas were selected as Third Team honorees, as Miguel Candela Bravo finished out the honors as an All-Rookie Team selection.
The Ravens are led by Stefan Lohberger, who has nine goals throughout this season, along with two assists. He ranks tied for third overall in the NE10 in goals and is third in the conference with 60 shots. Javier Garcia Borras leads the team in assists with seven, sitting tied for second in the NE10.
Defensively, goalkeeper Jadel Poon-Lewis leads the NE10 in goals against (2), save percentage (.846), and goals–against average (0.31) throughout eight games played. The senior has made 11 saves in the net, for a 6-0 overall record, while recording four shutouts.
Wilmington in the NCAA Division II Super Regional 1 Tournament:
2009 (0-1): No. 3 Southern New Hampshire def. No. 2 Wilmington, 1-0 (2OT)
2013 (1-1): No. 6 Wilmington def. No. 3 Post, 2-1 (2OT); No. 1 Southern New Hampshire def. No. 6 Wilmington, 3-0
2015 (1-1): No. 6 Wilmington def. No. 3 Adelphi, 4-3, (OT); No. 1 LIU Post def. No. 6 Wilmington, 6-0.
2018 (1-1): No. 5 Wilmington def. No. 4 Le Moyne, 4-1; No. 1 Adelphi def. No. 5 Wilmington, 2-1.
Overall: 3-4
Season and All-Time Records vs. NCAA Division II Super Region 1 Opponents:
No. 1 Adelphi University Panthers: 2019 – DNP; All-Time – 1-1 (last: 2018)
No. 2 Gannon Golden Knights: 2019 – DNP; All-Time – 0-0 (never played)
No. 3 Charleston (WV) Golden Eagles: 2019 – DNP; All-Time – 0-0 (never played)
No. 4 Franklin Pierce Ravens: 2019 – DNP; All-Time – 1-2 (last: 2013)
No. 5 Wilmington University Wildcats
No. 6 Mercy College Mavericks: 2019 –DNP; All-Time – 1-5 (last: 2017)
No. 7 West Chester Golden Rams: 2019 – vs. W 2-1 (OT); All-Time – 7-5-1 (last: 2019)
No. 8 Millersville University Marauders: 2019 – vs. W 5-1; All-Time – 6-3-2 (last: 2019)
No. 9 Post University Eagles: 2019 – vs. T 1-1 (2OT); All-Time – 8-10-6 (last: 2019)
No. 10 Assumption College Greyhounds: 2019 –DNP; All-Time – 1-0-1 (last: 2007)
2019 NCAA Division II Super Region 1 Tournament Game Schedule:
(at Adelphi, Garden City, N.Y.)
Thursday, November 21
No. 8 Millersville (13-5-2) vs. No. 9 Post (14-3-3) – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 23
No. 1 Adelphi (15-2-1) vs. No. 8 Millersville/No. 9 Post winner – 6:00 p.m.
(at Franklin Pierce, Rindge, New Hampshire)
Saturday, November 23
No. 4 Franklin Pierce (13-3-2) vs. No. 5 Wilmington (17-2-1) – 6:00 p.m.
(at Gannon, Erie, Pa.)
Friday, November 22
No. 7 West Chester (14-4-1) vs. No. 10 Assumption (12-7) – 12:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 24
No. 2 Gannon (17-2-0) vs. No. 7 West Chester/No. 10 Assumption winner – 12:00 p.m.
(at Charleston (WV), Charleston, W. Va.)
Saturday, November 23
No. 3 Charleston (WV) (17-2-1) vs. No. 6 Mercy (14-3-3) – 3:00 p.m.