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By the Numbers: NCAA Tournament Edition | NCAA Announcement | Selection Video

R-N Stats | NEC Stats

NEWARK, N.J. (November 10, 2016) – The 10th-ranked Rutgers University-Newark men's soccer team is primed and ready to get the 2016 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship underway on Alumni Field this weekend. The Scarlet Raiders will square off against New England College Saturday at 5 p.m. with the hopes of advancing to Sunday's second round versus either Vassar College or Elizabethtown College.
 
Rutgers-Newark received an at-large berth to the tournament thanks to an 18-3-0 record. The team has already set a new program-record for triumphs, winning the regular-season New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) title on the back of an 8-1-0 league ledger.
 
Scarlet Raider men's soccer is making its third trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last four seasons, falling in the first round back in 2013 and advancing to the second round back in 2014. The team is 1-2-0 overall in the 'Big Dance' but has never had the opportunity to play NCAA matches at home.
 
"It was nice to learn we were hosting for the first time," said Head Coach Kevin East after the selection announcement. "It's a great opportunity for our players, one that they have really earned and something they deserve."
 
R-N's first round opponent New England College earned an automatic berth into the national tournament thanks to an upset of Thomas College (Maine) in the North Atlantic Conference Tournament final. The Pilgrims took the title via shootout and boast an overall record of 11-9-1.
 
NEC has a solid plus-19 goal differential this season (49-30) and has three players with six or more tallies this year in freshman Siad Haji, senior Ronsard Masamba and junior Brian Jumpp. Masamba and sophomore Cooper Valinski are tied for the team lead in assists with four.
 
Three different goalkeepers have played major minutes for NEC this year as Dylan Mix, Samuel Thompson and Maxime Danis have combined for 112 saves and a goals-against average of 1.41. The trio have all played 500-plus minutes between the pipes, with Maxime pocketing a team-high 830.
 
Rutgers-Newark boasts a potent offensive attack and a stingy defense, and Coach East is looking for his team to continue doing what it has been over the first 21 matches of the season.
 
"The message is just to do more of the same," said the head coach. "We are here because of what we have done, so we don't have to do too many things different. We just want to do them a little bit better."
 
The Scarlet Raider defense – led by junior Arek Szoldrowski, senior Dylan Elias, junior Isaiah Kuris and sophomore Brandon Goldy – has come together to pitch a program-record 11 shutouts this year, giving up just .67 goals per game and allowing multiple goals against just three times all season long. Freshman goalkeeper Andres Medina has been superb as well, going 16-3-0 in 19 starts. The rookie has made 88 saves and has a .76 goals-against average.
 
NJAC Rookie of the Year Fabio De Sousa has led the Scarlet Raider offense, scoring 13 goals and handing out eight assists for a team-high 34 points, and his eight game-winners are second in the nation. Senior Sebastian Gostynski is second on the squad with 11 markers, while sophomore Stefano Muniz and junior Alex Torres have five goals apiece. An amazing 14 different players have scored goals this year and 19 different Scarlet Raiders have at least one point.
 
Admission to NCAA Tournament each day at Alumni Field is $6 for general admission, $3 for students/seniors with ID and $2 for children. Rutgers-Newark students, staff and faculty with ID will receive free admission to the game, but in general there are no comp tickets to NCAA events per NCAA rule.
 
FREE parking in the Bradley Lot (located above Alumni Field on Warren St.) will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis throughout the weekend.
 
Fans unable to make the trip to Newark can tune in live by clicking here.
 
How they stack up...

Rutgers-Newark	Stat	New England College
2.52 GPG	Scoring Offense	2.33 GPG
.67 GPG	Scoring Defense	1.43 GPG
Plus-1.85 GPG	Scoring Margin	Plus-.90 GPG
166	Shots on Goal	202
113	Shots on Goal Against	143
119	Corners	97
85	Corners Against	80