Game Notes vs. Messiah in National Semifinals

Charlie Romero '11

  #6 Williams (16-2-3)

vs.

#1 Messiah (22-1-0)

5:00 PM CST

Blossom Soccer Stadium

San Antonio, TX

Ephs vs. Messiah: 1-0-1 in NCAA Tournament play:

2006: 0-0 tie, in Williamstown -- Messiah wins PKs 4-2, Sectional Semis

1993: Williams 3-1, in Grantham, PA -- 3rd round

Williams and Messiah meet for the third time in NCAA Tournament play and for the first time on a neutral field.

Messiah is making its 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament (13th consecutive) and their 11th appearance in the National Semifinals. The Falcons are the defending NCAA champions.

Messiah head coach Brad McCarty is in his first year at the helm of the Falcons. McCarty is a former Messiah standout and long-time top assistant who owns a career mark of 22-1 and is 3-0 in NCAA Tournament play.

Messiah has won six NCAA titles (2008, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2002, 2000) and finished third four times. All-time Messiah sports a record of 54-12-1 (.813) in the NCAA Tourney.

Messiah advanced to the National Semifinals by winning three games, the last two in double OT. After receiving a first round bye the Falcons defeated Brockport State 3-1, Johns Hopkins 3-2 and Rochester 2-1 all at home. In the last two games the Falcons had to come from behind to emerge victorious as Johns Hopkins led 2-0 in the second half and Rochester had a 1-0 lead.

Williams is making its fourth trip to the National Semifinals all under head coach Mike Russo who is in his 31st year with the Ephs. Russo has an overall record of 365-92-47 (.756), which includes 8 wins over Division I teams and 11 over division II teams. Russo’s NCAA Tourney record is 28-11-8 (.681)

The Ephs are making their 15th appearance in the NCAA Tournament since the fall of 1993 when the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) first permitted team play in NCAA post-season championships.

Williams won the NCAA title in 1995, finished second in 1993 and third in 1998. Williams has compiled an all-time NCAA Division III Tournament record of 28-11-8 (.681).

Williams advanced to the National Semifinals by prevailing in four road contests. The Ephs downed Husson 3-0, RPI 1-0 and then advanced past the Sectionals with consecutive PK shootout decisions over #2 York University (7-6) and #4 Christopher Newport University (4-1) after playing to a 1-1 tie in both contests through two overtime sessions.

Williams missed its first PK attempt in the York shootout and then made 11 in a row in the two events that decided advancement.

Against both York and Christopher Newport Williams was in a 1-0 deficit and managed to net a goal to force overtime.

POINTS to PONDER:  Messiah is scoring at a nation’s best 3.86/game, but the Falcons have been surrendering more goals than they have in recent years, allowing two each in their Sectional wins.

Williams is scoring by committee in the NCAA Tournament and the Ephs may now be back to full health and they have surrendered one goal in each of the Sectional contests.

Messiah played all of its tournament games at home and the Ephs have played all of theirs on the road.

Messiah has found a way to win games in regulation or in overtime and have not participated in a PK shootout this season. Messiah is 3-0-0 in OT games, whereas Williams has had to find a way to win in OT and advance in shootouts. The Ephs are 2-0-3 in OT contests this fall. The lone Williams tie of the year that was not decided via a PK shootout was the regular season opener vs. NESCAC and Little Three rival Wesleyan that finished 1-1.

The only common opponents this season for the Ephs and the Falcons are Christopher Newport  and York. Williams advanced past Christopher Newport in the Sectional Finals in a 4-1 PK shootout after a 1-1 tie. Messiah defeated Christopher Newport 2-1 in OT in the regular season in a road game. 

Williams advanced past York in the Sectional Semifinals on PK shootout win, while Messiah suffered its lone loss of the season at York on October 7th 2-0.

How much rust will each team need to kick off their game after having an unusually long 12 days off since last competing in a game?
 

INTERESTING to NOTE: 

50 years ago Williams was one of the eight teams invited to participate in the first NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament. Joining the Ephs were: Bridgeport University, City College of New York (CCNY), Colgate University, University of Maryland, St. Louis University, University of San Francisco, and West Chester.  St. Louis defeated Bridgeport 5-2 in championship game played at the University of Connecticut to capture the first NCAA men’s soccer crown.

One of the starting forwards for the Ephs in 1959 was Alvord "Skip" Rutherford '62 who was from San Antonio. Rutherford, now deceased, captained the Ephs in 1961.

That tournament is now the NCAA Division I Tournament, making Williams and CCNY the only two Division III teams to have played in the NCAA Division I and III Men's Soccer Tournaments.

The Ephs lost to CCNY 1-0 in the National Quarterfinals.

Mike Russo is the first coach on any level to be named the National Coach of the Year in consecutive years (1987 & 1988) even though at that time his Eph teams were not permitted to compete in the NCAA Tournament by conference rule.

Russo has been named National Coach of the Year four times overall as he was also tabbed in 1993 & 1995.

Two of Russo's best players at Williams Mike Masters '89 and Dan Calichman '90 played for the U.S. National Team. Peter Lyn '91 played for the Puerto Rican National Team and Khari Stephenson '04 has played for the Jamaican National Team.

Masters was the first American professional to score a gaol in famed Wembley Stadium and Calichman was named the Defender of the Year in the inaugural season of the MLS.

Three of Russo's former players now serve as head coach at NCAA Division III schools: Calichman at Claremont McKenna, Erin Sullivan '96 at Western New England College and Eric Watson '97 at SUNY New Paltz.

Four Ephs were named National Player of the Year under Russo: Dana Leary '07 (2006); Alex Blake '03 (2001); Brad Murray '97 (1996) and Terry Kaufmann '96 (1995).

Brad Murray ’97 a forward still holds the NCAA Division III record for most goals in one tournament and most points. In 1995 Murray scored 8 goals for 16 points helping the Ephs take home the title.

Eph senior captain Conor Smith '10 was named the NESCAC Player of the Year this fall.

While this is Messiah’s 11th appearance in the Final Four the Falcons have either finished third or first, but never as runner-up.

The Falcons’ junior MF Geoff Pezon was an All-NCAA Tournament Team selection in 2008 along with forward Danny Thompson.

Pezon also earned the 2009 Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year Award and forward Josh Wood was named the Conference’s Rookie of the Year.

Messiah's Dustin Shambach '07 owns the NCAA Tournament Record for Lowest Goals-Against Average, Career (Min. 5 Matches). Shambach posted a 0.11 goals against average for the Falcons from 2003-06. In 1,629:34 he allowed two goals.

          BY THE NUMBERS...