Men’s Soccer set for third straight trip to NCAA Tournament

Fort Hays State Men’s Soccer begins NCAA Tournament play this weekend in Tahlequah, Okla. in Super Region 3 action.  FHSU will take on Northeastern State on Friday (Nov. 21) at 7 p.m., with the winner advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals on Sunday (Nov. 23) against either Quincy or Saginaw Valley State.

FHSU (11-5-3) sports a lineup with nine All-MIAA selections, led by MIAA Player of the Year Tanner Brock, who is tied with First Team selection Diego Cabral for the team lead in points (18).  Brock has a team-high six goals on the season to go with six assists, while Cabral leads the Tigers with 10 assists on the year, adding four goals.

Overall, seven Tigers have double-digit points on the year.  Austin Clifton (15 points), Michael Cole (13 points), Joe Albright (13 points) and Maurizio Costa (12 points) each have five goals and Anthony Hernandez (11 points) has three goals to go with five assists.

In the net, Kent Freund‘s 66 saves is a team-best mark, as the senior has seen time in 17 games (15 starts) with a 0.99 goals against average.  All told, Freund has allowed just 17 goals in 1,543 minutes of game action.

NSU (16-3-1) won the MIAA Championship earlier this month, led by Jordan Schmoker’s 11 goals and 13 assists this season (35 points).  NSU’s Juan Peralta has seven goals through 19 games, adding four assists to sit second on the team in points (18). Jackson Biles’ 0.77 goals against average has come with 19 starts, as the keeper has 59 saves in 1,645 minutes played.

The Tigers and RiverHawks have squared off twice this season, with FHSU dropping 2-1 decision earlier at NSU on Sept. 18 before the teams played to a 1-1 draw at FHSU Soccer Stadium on Oct. 25.

Quincy (19-1-2) has lost just one game this season, reaching the Super Region 3 Semifinals with a 2-1 victory over Drury last weekend.  QU’s Jordan Roberts has 48 points this season, scoring 21 goals with six assists, while Xhovani Dokaj’s 44 points (16 goals, 12 assists) is second on the team.  Drew Duncan has a 0.53 goals against average with 60 saves, starting all 22 games for the Hawks.

Saginaw Valley State (14-4-2) defeated Northwood 5-2 last weekend in the NCAA Tournament’s Second Round, setting up a matchup with QU for the NCAA Sweet 16.  SVSU is led offensively by Craig Neal (nine goals, seven assists) and Tyler Channell (six goals, six assists).  Goalkeeper Alex Bouillennec has started all 20 games, giving up 22 goals (1.07 goals against average) with 75 saves.

This is the third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament for Fort Hays State.

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