University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Seeks Second CAA Men's Soccer Championship title Sunday at Hofstra
11/14/2015 10:17:00 PM | Men's Soccer
HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Third-seeded Delaware (10-6-4) survived Friday's semifinals and advanced on penalty kicks to Sunday's championship final, where the Blue Hens will face top-seeded Hofstra at 2:30 p.m. at Hofstra Soccer Stadium on the American Sports Network.
The Blue Hens advanced to the title match with a 5-4 advantage in penalty kicks against Elon Friday evening while the Pride defeated James Madison, 2-0.
ADMISSION
General admission tickets for the entire weekend are available through HofstraTickets.com, by calling (516) HOF-TIXX or visiting the Hofstra Athletics Box Office in the Mack Sports Complex.
BROADCAST
American Sports Network will broadcast Sunday's Championship Final live. Dave Armstrong will have the call while Scott Angevine will serve as the color analyst. Click here for TV clearances. Free live video streaming of the game will also be available via Pride Productions and CAA.tv.
LIVE STATS
· Sunday vs. Hofstra
ONLINE
Follow Delaware men's soccer online at facebook.com/DelawareMensSoccer and on Twitter at @DelawareMSOC. Additional postseason coverage will be available by using the official CAA Championships hashtag, #CAAChamps on both Instagram and Twitter.
LAST TIME OUT
Third-seeded Delaware advanced past second-seeded Elon, 5-4 on penalty kicks, after the two teams battled to a 2-2 double overtime draw in the semifinals of the CAA Men's Soccer Championship Friday at Hofstra Stadium. With penalty kicks tied at 4-4, Hens freshman Robert Gillin converted his shot into the left side of the net. Freshman keeper Todd Morton then made a diving block of an attempt by the Phoenix's Elijah Agu to send UD to the finals. Elon rallied from a 2-0 second-half deficit to force the extra session. The Phoenix, who are currently receiving votes in the NSCAA Coaches Poll, nearly completed the comeback in the second overtime. With just 2:20 remaining, Luis Argudo's shot from the top of the box deflected off the left post. Delaware struck quickly and took a 1-0 lead just 8:16 into the match. Senior midfielder Joe Dipre able to dribble into the middle of the box and sent a left-footed shot off the right post for his fourth goal of the season. The Blue Hens nearly tacked on another score 90 seconds later, but a 12-yard chip from Guillermo Delgado flew just wide. The Blue Hens extended their lead to 2-0 in the 54th minute. A Delaware corner kick led to a scramble in front of the Elon net. Senior midfielder Ben Sampson was able to corral a rebound and score his third goal of the year from five yards out. Morton finished with six saves in goal for Delaware, while Matthew Jegier stopped five shots for Elon.
HEN SCRATCHINGS
· Delaware has competed in the CAA Tournament for the third consecutive year and fifth time in six seasons.
· Since 2011, UD has earned two berths to the NCAA Tournament with a CAA Tournament Championship in 2011, CAA Regular Season title in 2014 and two CAA Tournament Finals appearances.
· Delaware is 4-2-4 (.600) all-time in the CAA Tournament.
· The Blue Hens are 6-0-2 over their last seven contests. During that span, Delaware has outscored its opponents, 23-9.
· The Hens have posted three straight winning seasons for the first time since 1982.
· Delaware has now reached the double-figure win mark for the third straight year and for the fourth time in the last five seasons.
· Guillermo Delgado added to his career point total against Elon and now sits with 85 career points (37g, 11a), a mark good for second place in program history. Mike Biggs (1968-70) is the career leader with 99 points on 47 goals and five assists.
· Joe Dipre is fourth place in the career record books with 15 assists. John Petito (1978-82) and current Delaware assistant coach Roberto Giménez (2011-13) are tied for second all-time with 16 career assists.
· Thomas de Villardi has registered at least one assist in six of the last eight games. He is ranked 15th in the NCAA Division I standings with nine total assists this season.
· De Villardi's nine assists are good to tie for second in Delaware single season history alongside Bob Young (1985).
· Through 13 matches this season, Todd Morton is ranked 27th nationally with a 0.741 GAA and ninth with a save percentage of .839.
· For the third straight season, Ben Sampson has been selected as a CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 selection.
· Thirteen Blue Hens have tallied at least one point on the year.
· A former professional soccer player in England and the 2015 CAA Coach of the Year, Richard Nuttall (Carnegie '84) is in his 27th season as the head coach of the Hofstra men's soccer program. During his tenure, the Pride have posted a mark of 248-216-57 (.531).
ABOUT HOFSTRA
Hofstra is back in the CAA Championship finals for the first time since 2012 when the Pride fell to Northeastern in double overtime. The Pride will be making its sixth-ever appearance in the championship game. The team won three straight CAA titles from 2004-06 under head coach Richard Nuttall, with the last of those championships coinciding with the program's last trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Pride's previous trips to the championship include 2004, '05, '06, '10 and '12. Sunday's winner will gain an automatic berth in this year's NCAA field. Junior midfielder Joseph Holland earned the CAA Player of the Year award and followed that up with a goal and an assist in the Pride's 2-0 win over James Madison in Friday's semifinals. Senior goalkeeper Patric Pray made four saves to log Hofstra's first CAA Championship shutout since 2012 against George Mason in the quarterfinals. Sophomore Mani Walcott scored the game-winning goal for his first career CAA Tournament marker and the Pride held an 8-2 edge in corners to eliminate the Dukes.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Maggie Hayon | mhayon@udel.edu | O: 302-831-6389 | C: 920-912-6635
