AMCC

LIONS HOPEFUL TO BRING MEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP BACK TO BEHREND

LIONS HOPEFUL TO BRING MEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP BACK TO BEHREND

Penn State Behrend, winners of back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014, will look to bring the trophy back to Behrend with them after completing an undefeated conference regular season this fall. 

Behrend (15-1-3, 8-0-1 AMCC) freshman goalkeeper Chris Ralph ranks at the top of the conference with an .833 save percentage and eight goals against, and is also tops with an impressive 0.49 goals against average. Junior forward Matt Dziadosz leads the Lions, and is tied for seventh in the AMCC, with seven goals, while senior forward Anthony Crivelli is tied for tenth with six goals. 

Medaille College (11-4-2, 7-1-1 AMCC) will look to freshman forward Lachlan Wilkinson and freshman midfielder James Lang to lead the offensive attack. Wilkinson is second in the conference with 13 goals and 31 points and Lang is first in the conference with nine assists. Senior goalkeeper Brian Arcara is second in the AMCC with an .804 save percentage, 11 goals against, and a 0.64 goals against average. 

#3 Penn State Altoona (10-6-1, 6-2-1 AMCC) will look for some offensive power from sophomore forward Matthew Hibbs, who leads the Lions, and is tied for seventh in the league, with seven goals. Sophomore midfielder Luke Nelson ranks second in the conference with eight assists and sophomore goalkeeper Liam Grady is fourth with a 1.42 goals against average.

#4 Franciscan University (10-6-1, 6-3 AMCC) enters the men's soccer postseason tournament for the first time in program history. The Barons' success on the field is due in large part to 2015 AMCC offensive player of the year, junior forward Leo Herrmann and senior forward Joe Francis. Herrmann leads the conference with 17 goals scored and 39 points, while Francis is tied for third with 10 goals. Junior goalkeeper Thomas Dosedel's 70 saves and .729 save percentage are both good enough for fifth in the conference.

La Roche College (9-7-2, 5-2-2 AMCC) has earned the #5 seed in this year's postseason tournament. The Redhawks are led by junior forward Pedro Ansede and freshman forward Tom Spagnolo's five goals each.  Sophomore midfielder Joaquin Vicent Franch's eight assists tie him for second in the conference. Freshman goalkeeper Austin Gorman ranks third with a .773 save percentage and is fourth in the league with 75 saves.

Rounding out the 2016 men's soccer tournament as the #6 seed is reigning AMCC champion Mount Aloysius College (10-7-1, 4-5 AMCC). The Mounties will rely offensively on sophomore midfielder Thomas Sloan who is tied for third with 10 goals and senior Jim Smith who is tied for fourth in the conference with seven assists.

First round games will be played on Saturday, October 29, with the top two seeds receiving byes. The semifinals will take place on Wednesday, November 2, with the championship game on Saturday, November 5.  The AMCC champion will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, with the national championship to be played at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro on December 2-3.

Please see the AMCC Fall Championship Page for more details.