FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Courtesy of SJC Athletics Communications
Monks learn NCAA First Round
opponent Monday at 1:00 PM
STANDISH, Maine – Top-seeded Saint Joseph's College (20-0-0) clipped #2 Johnson & Wales University (12-6-3), 1-0, in the 2018 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Championship at the SJC Athletics Complex on Sunday afternoon.
With the triumph the Monks collect their third-consecutive conference title and have secured the GNAC's automatic qualifier into the NCAA DIII Men's Soccer Tournament, which starts on Saturday. The entire 2018 national tourney bracket will be announced Monday on www.ncaa.com via live video at 1:00 PM.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Monks had several scoring chances in the first half but did not hit pay dirt until the 46:38 mark, when junior Cody Elliott(Gorham, Maine) netted his sixth goal of the season. Johnson & Wales senior keeper Nicholas Mancini (Toms River, N.J.) left his post to intercept a crossing pass but mishandled the ball, allowing junior Noah Robinson (Wappingers Falls, N.Y.) to tap a pass to Elliott, who steered a shot into an empty net.
THE KEEPERS
SJC senior Blake Mullen (Manchester, Conn.) did not face a shot in the victory while Mancini turned away four of the five shots on goal in the setback.
TEAM STATS
Saint Joseph's held the lead in shots (12-4), shots on goal (5-0), and corner kicks (5-1) on the afternoon.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
With the victory Saint Joseph's is now 11-7 all-time versus Johnson & Wales University and has now defeated the Wildcats in four-consecutive meetings.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Lucas Boetsch, Colby-Sawyer
Noah Camelo, Colby-Sawyer
Nicholas Mancini, Johnson & Wales
Robert Hayman, Johnson & Wales
Riley McNicholas, Johnson & Wales
Alex Brannan, Norwich
Bryce Sullenger, Norwich
Cody Elliott, Saint Joseph's (MVP)
Mitchell Duncan, Saint Joseph's
Jackson Taylor, Saint Joseph's
Dalton Gaumer, Saint Joseph's
Brett Mattos, Saint Joseph's
The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 20 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience.
– #TheGNAC –