Men's Soccer | 11/10/2023 1:02:00 PM
ELMIRA, NY – The Elmira College men's soccer team secured a first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament after its thrilling victory in penalty kicks over St. John Fisher in the Empire 8 Final. The Soaring Eagles will make the trip to New Jersey where they are set to face off against the No. 5 Red Hawks of Montclair State University on Saturday, November 11, at 5:00 p.m. The winner will face the winner of Manhattanville vs. Christopher Newport the following day.
Matchup History:
Elmira has faced the Red Hawks three times in program history, with their last meeting coming back in September of 1996 when the Soaring Eagles won 2-1. The Purple & Gold collected two other victories in matchups in 1995 and 1992, winning by a final of 2-0 each time.
Keys to the Game:
- Harguindey Leads The Way: Empire 8 Player of the Year Martin Harguindey '26 leads Elmira in goals with 13 and is tied for the lead in assists with two. The second-year Argentinian forward has led Elmira's front line all season, scoring in nine of Elmira's 18 matches. He also assisted the game-winning goal against Houghton and the game-tying goal against Nazareth in the 88th minute. His performance against St. John Fisher in the tournament final was vital in the Soaring Eagles' quest for the Empire 8 championship, scoring Elmira's two goals and converting its first penalty kick.
- Disruptive Defense: All-Empire 8 First-Teamer Kerfalla Toure '26 and Second-Teamer Konstantinos Triantafillou '27 have provided security for Elmira's defense all season. The pair of Montreal natives will be tasked with trying to disrupt the Red Hawks offensive attack, which currently have 61 goals in the 2023 season.
- Get The Midfield Involved: Midfielder Jhoan Chavez '26 took home the Empire 8 Tournament Most Valuable Player for helping EC claim the E8 championship. The Miami, Florida native assisted the game-winning goal in double-overtime in the tournament semifinal against Hartwick off a set piece delivery, then scored the winning penalty in Elmira's Empire 8 Final triumph over St. John Fisher in penalty kicks. His midfield partner, All-Empire 8 Third-Teamer Jose Navea Corporan '27, has accompanied him for most of the season, with the first-year midfielder from the Dominican Republic scoring two vital long-distance goals in Elmira's road to the conference championship.
- Calm Under Pressure: Elmira came back from a goal deficit twice in the Empire 8 Final, including scoring in double-overtime a minute after conceding. The Soaring Eagles look to show its resilience and calmness under pressure in the NCAA tournament.
Statistics/Live Video:
Montclair State University will provide live video and statistics for the match.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit www.empire8.com and YouTube
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