BROCKTON, Mass., November 1, 2018 – The No. 9-ranked Monroe College Mustangs men's soccer team is looking to earn its third straight trip to the NJCAA Div. I Men's Soccer National Championship Tournament this weekend, as the Mustangs compete in the District Championship Tournament, hosted by Massasoit Community College. The Mustangs got themselves into the District Championship by earning their third straight Region XV Championship this past Saturday with a penalty-kick tiebreaker over ASA College.
 
DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION
Where/When:
Saturday, Nov. 3 – Skyhawk Field at Stonehill College – North Easton, MA
Sunday, Nov. 4 – Warrior Soccer Field at Massasoit Community College – Brockton, MA
 
Teams:
Massasoit Community College: 7-6
Monroe Community College: 9-4-1
Essex County College: 11-1-0 (National Rank: 8)
Monroe College: 8-1-2 (National Rank: 9)
 
Schedule:
Saturday, Nov. 3 (at Stonehill):
Game 1: Monroe CC vs. Massasoit – 2:30 PM
Game 2: Monroe vs. Essex County – 4:30 PM
 
Sunday, Nov. 4 (at Massasoit):
Finals: Winner G1 vs. Winner G2 – 1:00 PM
 
MUSTANG LEADERS
The Mustang offense has been spreading the wealth all season long, with 13 different student-athletes scoring goals on the season, and seven with three-or-more scores. Caio Guazzelli leads the way with eight goals and 18 points in nine games. Luca Erhardt is second with both seven goals and 16 points. Othman Gherab and Ronaldo Da Silva have each scored six goals on the season, while Lucas Nishioka holds the team lead with four assists.
 
Three different goalkeepers have played between the pipes for the Mustangs this season. Victor Camps is 5-1-2 in eight starts, holding a 1.03 goals-against average and .765 save percentage. Isac Hildingsson has made two starts, going 2-0 with a 0.46 goals-against average and .909 save percentage. Chris Kaev started once and made two appearances, going 1-0 and allowing just two goals.
 
As a team, the Mustangs are averaging 4.18 goals per game, good for sixth in the nation. Their 0.95 goals-against average is 18th in the NJCAA. Monroe is also averaging 19.5 shots per game, matching Massasoit for seventh in the country.
 
THE COMPETITION
Essex County
The Mustangs' semifinal opponents have enjoyed an excellent season thus far at 11-1. Walter Hernandez is the team leader with both nine goals and 19 points. Allando Brown and Noelson Charles have scored five goals apiece and have 12 and 11 points on the year, respectively.
 
Goalkeeper Matteo Geraci has been fantastic in net for the Wolverines, going a perfect 10-0 with a 0.56 goals-against average and .870 save percentage. The team's 0.67 goals-against average ranks fifth in the nation, while Geraci's 0.56 is the seventh best individual average in the NJCAA.
 
Massasoit
The host Warriors are led by 30-point scorer Charlie Swann, who also leads the team with 13 goals this season. His 2.50 points per game are 20th in the NJCAA. Junior Pereira has 23 points on nine goals and a team-leading five assists. Leon Zaffonato also reached 20 points on the year with eight goals and four helpers.
 
Goalkeeper David Isaac owns a 2.25 goals-against average on the season, as well as a .693 save percentage.
 
The Warriors and Mustangs met back on Sept. 15 in Brockton, Mass. The Mustangs rolled to a 6-0 win in that contest. The Warriors faced off with Monroe Community College on Sept. 8, defeating the Tribunes by a score of 2-1.
 
Monroe Community College
The Tribunes are led by Isaiah Lee, who ranks second in the nation on a points per game basis with an average of 3.82, as well as goals per game at 1.73. He has 42 points in 11 games, scoring 19 goals to lead the team. Cameron Welling is second with five goals and five assists for 15 points. Sulemane Sey has passed out a team-high six assists.
 
Kyle Bimek leads the goalkeeper corps for the Tribunes, going 7-1 with a 0.40 goals-against average, which ranks second in the NJCAA. His .885 save percentage is fifth best in the country.
 
The Mustangs and Tribunes matched up recently on Oct. 20 in Rochester, N.Y. It took double overtime, but the Mustangs pulled through in the second extra period on a game-winning goal by Gherab.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 27 teams competing across nine sports. There are 18 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Monroe Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus as of the fall of 2017, has seven teams competing at the NJCAA Division III level.
 
For more information about the Monroe Mustangs, please visit us at www.MonroeCollegeMustangs.com or follow us on social media: Facebook (Monroe College Athletics), Twitter (@Monroe_Mustangs) and Instagram (@monroemustangs).