AU seeded #7 in ECAC Metro/Upstate Championships

AU seeded #7 in ECAC Metro/Upstate Championships

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Brandon Harrison

ALFRED, NY—The Alfred University Saxons men's soccer (9-7-3, Empire 8 3-3-2) team was named to participate in the ECAC Metro/Upstate Division as a seventh seed, facing #2 seeded Drew University (9-5-6) in the first round game, Wednesday, Nov. 12th in Madison, NJ at 6PM.
 
After falling to the Stevens Ducks 6-5 in PK's in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 tournament on Friday afternoon, the Saxons look to rebound and take on the Rangers of Drew University.  The Rangers are 9-5-6 on the year and posted a conference record of 5-2-1, earning them the #3 seed in the Landmark Conference Championship, where they fell in PK's, 3-1, to the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the conference semifinal after battling to a 0-0 tie. 
 
Alfred will be led by senior Jeff Thomas (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) who has scored a team high eight goals and added three assists.  The staunch AU defense will look to pick up where they left off last weekend, not allowing a goal against Stevens Tech over the course of 110 minutes with freshman keeper, Chris Gutierrez (Holbrook, NY/Sachem East) in net, who showed poise throughout the high intensity postseason match up.  Gutierrez is coming off a game where he had six saves on his way to shutting out the eventual Empire 8 Champion Ducks.
 
Drew is led by senior John Nogiewich and freshman Benjamin Audi, both scoring four goals while bolstering their offensive attack from their midfield positions.  Audi also leads the Rangers in assists (five) and shots on goal (24).  Michael Reyes has played every minute in goal for Drew, notching 85 saves and 10 shut outs.  Reyes has only allowed 16 goals on the season, earning him a goal against average of 0.74, top in the Landmark Conference.
 
AU and Drew have three common opponents from their 2014 schedules (SUNY Geneseo, Juniata College, and Manhattanville College).  AU posted a record of 1-2 while Drew won all three games, 1-0.  Alfred topped Juniata College the second game of the season, 1-0, after falling to Manhattanville College, 2-1, in the first round of the Frostburg State Tournament in August.  AU also fell to Geneseo 4-2 in September.
 
Rutgers-Camden (13-8-1) was named the #1 seed in the ECAC Metro/Upstate Championship on Monday, and will take on #8 SUNY Canton in the first round.  Other match ups will be #5 William Paterson at #4 NYU and #6 Centenary at #3 Richard Stockton.  The higher seed will host their opponent in the first round, starting on Wednesday, Nov. 12th.  The next two rounds will be hosted by Rutgers-Camden, permitting they win their first round game.  In the event Rutgers-Camden falls to SUNY Canton, NYU will host the championship rounds November 15th and 16th.