The SUNY Oneonta men's soccer team will play host to an opening weekend in the 2017 NCAA Division III tournament this Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 11-12.  The Red Dragons will play WPI on Saturday morning at 11am on Red Dragon Field.  Admission to the game is $6 general admission, $3 for seniors and students and $2 for children ages 3-12.  Children under two are free as well as the first 100 SUNY Oneonta students with their college ID.
 
In the other first round game on Saturday, Rochester will take on Connecticut College at 1:30pm.  The two Saturday winners will play each other on Sunday at 1pm in the second round.
 
Oneonta (15-1-2) earned the automatic berth into this year's tournament after defeating Plattsburgh 2-1 last Saturday to win the SUNYAC championship.  The conference title was the third in the last four years for Oneonta.  The Red Dragons are making its seventh consecutive NCAA appearance since rejoining the ranks of Division III in 2006 and becoming eligible for the NCAA tournament in 2008.
 
The Red Dragons are looking to return to the national championship weekend for a third time in the last four years having made it all the way to the Final 4 in 2014 and 2015.  Oneonta advanced a third time to the national championship weekend in 2011, which was its first as a Division III program.  Oneonta made its first appearance in the Final 4 in 1972 when they played in the first NCAA Division II tournament.
 
"After the thrill of our dramatic conference championship victory, we now start to focus on the NCAA Tournament," said Head Coach Iain Byrne.  "We look forward to welcoming three tough teams to Red Dragon Field this weekend."
 
Byrne continued, "We are under no illusions how difficult it will be to progress from this quad, but the boys are in good spirits and we are committed to entertaining the crowd on Saturday."
 
This is Oneonta's 11th NCAA tournament appearance overall.  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.
 
The Red Dragons enter this weekend unbeaten in its last 12 games (11-0-1) having outscored its opponents 26-6 over that span.  Oneonta is currently ranked No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches final regular season Division III Coaches Poll.  The Red Dragons also have a perfect record at home this season going 11-0 outscoring its opponents 28-5.
 
Overall, Oneonta has scored 40 goals to this point in the season while holding its opponents to 12.  The Red Dragons have recorded nine shutouts this fall for a shutout percentage of 50 percent.  The Red Dragons were second in the SUNYAC in goals allowed and third in goals scored.  Oneonta also holds a significant advantage in shots 302-204 and corner kicks 108-82.
 
Individually, the Red Dragons have three players who have registered double-digits in points led by the 2017 SUNYAC Rookie and Offensive Player of the Year, freshman Roberto Ventura (Brentwood/Brentwood).  Ventura has been electric in his rookie season showcasing his offensive skills that allowed him to post 12 goals and four assists entering his first NCAA tournament.
 
Last year's SUNYAC Rookie of the Year Witman Hernandez (Huntington/Walt Whitman) has been on a tear lately and is currently second on the team with 22 points on 11 goals.  Hernandez has scored five goals in his last three games including three during the two games in the conference tournament, which garnered him the Tournament MVP.
 
Senior Cory Santangelo (Sayville/Sayville), who was an All-Conference selection for a fourth time this fall, has contributed six goals and five assists for 17 points.  Santangelo, Hernandez and Ventura have combined to score 12 game-winning goals this season including six by Ventura.
 
"I think the team is feeling good about winning the conference championship," said Santangelo.  "I feel that it will give us great momentum moving into the NCAA tournament.  I think we have the players and the potential to make a good run in the tournament."
 
Defensively, Oneonta has an overall goal against average of 0.65.  Starting goalkeeper Nicholas Giordano (East Northport/Commack) has anchored a defensive line that included seniors Kevin Hoff (LaGrange/Arlington), Luke Osovski (Endicott/Maine Endwell) and Austin Hughes (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) along with newcomer Scott Cebollero (Commack/Commack).  Giordano has logged 1,570 minutes for the Red Dragons this fall in his first season with Oneonta.  Giordano has a 0.69 goals against and an .868 save percentage while recording eight shutouts.
 
"We are excited to be able to host this weekend," stated Captain Hoff.  "Now is when we need to get on a roll and capitalize on all of our scoring opportunities and continue to keep a zero defensively. There is no more room for error, so we need to be mentally and physically prepared for Saturday.
 
Of the three teams that are here this weekend, Oneonta has only played Rochester.  The Red Dragons are 0-1-1 against the Yellowjackets including a 0-0 draw in 2014, which was the last meeting between the two squads.
 
Sunday's winner will advance to the sectional round next weekend where the tournament will be narrowed down to the final four teams.  The national championship weekend is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2 in Greensboro, N.C. on the campus of UNC-Greensboro.
 
Byrne concluded, "I hope that we will see a repeat of the crowd that attended the conference championship match last Saturday.  Their energy was the springboard for our second half surge that helped us capture our fifth title in the last seven years. We have an experienced senior group, and we will be relying on their leadership in what are always very tense games."
 
Scouting WPI
The Engineers, guided by fifth-year head coach Brian Kelley along with venerable 26-year assistant coach Evan Holmes, will be making the program's fourth appearance in the Division III tournament, and first since 1992. In addition to the other Division III bids in 1976 and 1979, WPI earned berths to the 1970 Division I and 1974 Division II tournament.
 
The Boynton Hillers defeated Westfield State in 1976 via penalty kicks following a 3-3 tie in 1976. Their second round game from that year versus Brandeis is in the record book as the teams totaled a record 11 goals. Three other games also share the honor.
 
The NEWMAC Tournament and Co-Regular Season champion brings a 13-5-2 record into the national competition. The Engineers were 5-0 prior to their home game with then-No. 12/14 Springfield, who was also 5-0. Nothing could be decided after 110 minutes other than what the next week's results meant for seeding and hosting purposes. WPI headed to Springfield and defeated Coast Guard 1-0 in the semifinals and went on to play another 110 scoreless minutes with the top-seeded Pride. The shootout was 1-1 after three rounds before Tournament Most Outstanding Player Connor Hoeckele (Granby, CT) made key stops while fellow seniors Pavolas Christidis (Fairport, NY) and Ryan Stokes (Fairport, NY) provided the go-ahead and title-winning goals.
 
Outside of the conference, WPI suffered a pair of one-goal setbacks to at-large selection Brandeis in OT and CCC Champion Endicott in September.
 
Scouting Rochester
The University of Rochester capitalized on its trademark – a solid defense – to earn its 18^th NCAA Division III playoff berth, its fifth in the last six years. The Yellowjackets posted five consecutive clean sheets in the month of October as they battled for the University Athletic Association title. Overall, Rochester had nine shutouts and held five other teams to one goal.
 
UR shrugged off a 2-1-2 start to win nine of its next 10. The sole loss came against the top-ranked University of Chicago, which is one of four UAA schools competing in the NCAAs this weekend. Rochester's regular-season mark of 11-3-3 is the highest victory total since the 2013 team finished 15-3-2 and advanced to the Sweet 16.
 
Senior goalkeeper Redd Brown posted a 0.75 GAA in 1,561:43. He had nine shutouts, a single-season record. At the other end of the field, classmate Geoffrey Rouin scored 12 goals and added two assists for 26 points. Rouin's goal totals are the most since Tyler Green netted 15 goals in 2006. Junior Bryce Ikeda (5-3-13) and senior Alex Di Perna (4-4-12) complete Rochester's top three scoring combination.
 
Head coach Chris Apple, now in his 17^th season, carries a career record of 203 wins, 62 losses, 49 ties heading into the NCAAs.
 
Scouting Connecticut College
Connecticut College (9-3-4) is making its second NCAA Tournament appearance overall and first since 1995. The Camels, who are one of five NESCAC teams to receive an NCAA berth, have relied on a unique blend of veterans and youth to put together one of their most successful seasons in recent memory.
 
Junior captain Ben Manoogian headlines the offense and boasts a stat line which features eight goals, including three game-winning markers, and one assist for 17 points to date. Freshman Liam Noonan and junior Ben Highton have contributed 13 and 12 points, respectively, while sophomore Matt Butera and junior Christian Murphy have four helpers apiece.
 
Freshman A.J. Marcucci has been one of the top goalkeepers in the NESCAC and has registered an .897 save percentage to go along with an 0.54 goals against average and six clean sheets. Anchored by senior Nate Summers and freshman Liam Donelan, the defense in front of the breakout net minder most notably went nearly 600 minutes without surrendering a goal between Sept. 17 and Oct. 7.