Ephs set to host Sectional Play this weekend/Schedule/Ticket Prices/TEAMLINE
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Joining the Ephs will be The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), Ithaca College and Lynchburg College.
Saturday Williams and TCNJ will meet at 11:00 AM and Ithaca and Lynchburg will play at 1:30 PM. Saturday's winners will advance to the Sectional Finals on Sunday at 1:00 PM.
All three tournament games will be carried on TEAMLINE audio at no charge [http://www.teamline.cc/sportpage?teamcode=0126&eventcode=35]. Coverage begins about five minutes before kickoff of each game.
Ticket Prices:
Adults: $6
Students and senior citizens: $3
Children under 12: $2
Score and defend is a recipe for success in soccer and all four teams competing on Cole Field this weekend embody that mantra.
TCNJ received an at-large bid to the tourney after finishing second in the NJAC tourney. The Lions of TCNJ (14-6-1/6-2-1 NJAC) advanced to the Sectionals with a pair of shutouts in the first two rounds. TCNJ downed Westfield State 6-0 and then defeated Roger Williams University 2-0.
TCNJ head coach Joe Russo is in his 19th year and amassed a sensational record of 350-38-24 (.879) heading into the tilt with Williams. Russo guided the Lions to the 1993, 1994 and 2000 NCAA titles.
TCNJ has the second most tournament appearances in Division III history with 18, just one shy of Ithaca's 19. In NCAA Tournament play the Lions have rung up a record of 44-14-3 (.746).
Leading the TCNJ attack is the senior trio of forward Jamie Kunkel (10g, 9a); midfielder Erin Cunliffe (10g, 2a); and back Laura Delaney (8g, 1a).
Junior Jessica Clarke will be in goal for TCNJ where she has posted a goals against average of 0.70 in 1665:36 of play. Clarke has allowed 13 goals, made 46 saves for a save percentage of .780 and she has recorded eight shutouts.
On the year TCNJ has out scored the opposition 60 to 13 and they have generated a sizeable advantage in corner kicks, 139 to 45.
The Lions and the Ephs have played one common opponent this season with TCNJ defeating Amherst 4-1 in Amherst's first game of the season and the Lions' third game, while the Ephs tied at Amherst 1-1, before downing their archrivals 3-2 in OT to claim a second straight NESCAC title.
Williams (17-0-1/8-01 NESCAC) received a first round bye in this year's tournament when they were named one of the three seeded teams in the field. The Ephs defeated Husson College in a second round game on Sunday 3-0 to advance to the Sectionals.
Eph head coach Michelyne Pinard is in her seventh season at the helm of the Ephs and has posted a record of 81-22-15 (.761) heading into TCNJ contest. Pinard guided the Ephs to a second straight NESCAC title this season, a conference first, and captured the NESCAC's automatic berth in the tournament.
The Ephs are making their 10th appearance in the NCAA tourney and sport an overall record of 8-8-4.
Keying the Eph attack are senior forward Gabby Woodson (12g, 7a), junior forward Brianna Wolfson (11g, 8a) and sophomore midfielder Sara Wild (8g, 4a).
Junior keeper Lauren Sinnenberg has posted a 0.47 goals against average in 1352:49 of play. Sinnenberg has allowed seven goals this fall and has record 40 saves in compiling a save percentage of .851. She is 14-0-1 on the year and has eight shutouts.
Williams has out scored the opposition 51-9 this season and has the advantage in corner kicks 93 to 38.
Ithaca (16-2-2/7-1-0 Empire 8) earned a spot in the NCAA tourney when they captured the automatic bid awarded to the Empire 8 champion. The Bombers recorded a first round shutout of Westfield State (6-0) and then blanked Roger Williams University 2-0 to advance to the Sectionals. The Bombers have won their last five contests via a shutout.
With their appearance this season in the NCAA Tournament the Bombers have extended their Division III record of most tourney appearances to 19. Ithaca is 26-13-4 (.651) in NCAA tourney play and the Bombers won the 1990 and 1991 NCAA titles.
Ithaca head coach Mindy Quigg in 15 years of leading the Bombers sports an overall mark of 198-65-36 (.722).
The attack for the Bombers runs through junior forward Winnie Adrien (18g, 6a), senior forward Chelsey Feldman (18g, 3a) and junior midfielder Amy Scheffer (12g, 9a).
Sophomore Alyssa Sotomayor is the keeper for the Bombers and she has posted 10 shutouts on the year. In 1633.13 in the net Sotomayor has allowed nine goals and has recorded 67 saves for a save percentage of .882.
The Bombers have out scored their opponents 70 to 9 this season and they have had 159 corner kicks to the opposition's 50.
Lynchburg (21-0-3/9-0-2 ODAC) entered the NCAA tourney on an automatic bid awarded to the champion of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. The Hornets advanced to the Sectionals on the strength of two shutouts. Lynchburg dispatched Maryville 3-0 and edged Emory 1-0 in the first two rounds of the tournament.
Lynchburg head coach Todd Olsen is in his 15th year at Lynchburg where he has fashioned a record of 230-60-25 (.770). The Hornets are making their ninth NCAA tourney appearance and they own a record of 11-8-1.
The Hornet attack has generated 102 goals on the year and three players have netted at least 18 goals. Sophomore forward Betsy Kwiatkowski has 18 goals and 18 assists, while classmate Katie Santos, also a forward, has a team-high 24 tallies and two assists. Freshman back Ashley Hoath has scored 18 goals, while assisting on three.
Lyncburg has out scored their opponents this season by an impressive 102 to 9. The Hornets' edge in corner kicks is also impressive as they have had 152 corners and given up just 43.
The Hornets have used two goalies on the year, but over the last five games they have ridden with sophomore Jacke Bader who has played 802:32 minutes and surrendered five goals. Her goals against average is 0.56 and her save percentage is .844. She has posted three shutouts this season.
