TYLER, Texas, November 15, 2019 – The 2019 NJCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship is set to begin on Monday, Nov. 18. The Monroe College Mustangs men's soccer team enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed, and will look to improve upon last year's semifinal finish and take home the 2019 title. Monroe will compete in Pool A, joined by No. 8 Iowa Western Community College and No. 12 Muskegon Community College.
 
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:
Pat Hartley Complex – Tyler Junior College – Tyler, Texas
Monday, Nov. 18 – Saturday, Nov. 23
 
TOURNAMENT COVERAGE:
NJCAA Championship TV
www.NJCAAChampsTV.com
NJCAA Championship TV App (available on iOS, Android and most streaming devices)
 
Live Stats link will be added when it is made available.
 
POOL A:
No. 1 Monroe College – 14-0
No. 8 Iowa Western Community College – 15-0-1
No. 12 Muskegon Community College – 16-3-0
 
SCHEDULE:
Monday, Nov. 18 – 11 AM EST
No. 1 Monroe College vs. No. 12 Muskegon
 
Tuesday, Nov. 19 – 11 AM EST
No. 8 Iowa Western vs. No. 12 Muskegon
 
Wednesday, Nov. 20 – 11 AM EST
No. 1 Monroe College vs. No. 8 Iowa Western
 
No. 1 Monroe College
How they got here: The Mustangs went undefeated throughout the season, eventually capping the regular season off with a Region XV Championship victory over ASA College to advance to the East District Championship. The Mustangs then took down both Massasoit Community College and No. 10 Essex County College to capture the East District Title.
 
Leaders: Luca Erhardt is the NJCAA's leading scorer, having scored 30 goals in 14 games. His 64 points are also the most in the nation. Leon Sitz is tied for sixth in the NJCAA with 15 assists, but stands third with an average of 1.07 assists per game. Roque Viegas is second on the team in goals (14), assists (11) and points (39).
 
The Mustangs are fortunate to have two top goalkeepers defending their net. Victor Camps and Oliver Semmle both own matching 7-0 records this year. Semmle has allowed just one goal and has a 0.14 goals-against average, as well as a .941 save percentage, both of which rank first in the NJCAA. Camps' 0.86 goals-against average ranks 20th in the NJCAA.
 
Additional facts: The Mustangs took over the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA Div. I Men's Soccer Rankings in Week 1 and never looked back. As a team, the Mustangs lead the nation with an average of 7.43 goals per game, and are third with a 0.50 goals-against average.
 
No. 8 Iowa Western Community College
How they got here: The Reivers have not lost a game in 2019. In the semifinals of the Region XI/North Central District Championship, Iowa Western played to a 0-0 draw with Marshalltown Community College, falling in the penalty-kick shootout to be eliminated from the tournament. However, Iowa Western finished the season as the No. 2 team in the NJCAA Rankings, earning them an at-large bid into the tournament.
 
Leaders: Nicolas Torres leads the Reivers with 31 points on the season, including a team-high 13 assists. He is tied for second in goals scored with Damia Viader, who matched Torres' nine to go with 11 assists for a total of 29 points. Eduardo Barros has scored a team-high 11 goals. Jassem Koleilat has started all 16 games for the Reivers in net and owns a 0.18 goals-against average, good for No. 2 in the NJCAA, as well as an .897 save percentage, which ranks him fourth.
 
Additional facts: Iowa Western was not ranked to start the 2019 season, but made a quick jump to the top with an undefeated start and finish to the regular season. The Reivers reached the No. 2 spot in the rankings in Week 5 of the rankings. Iowa Western leads the NJCAA with a 0.18 goals-against average, and is sixth with an average of 4.75 goals per game.
 
No. 12 Muskegon Community College
How they got here: The Jayhawks earned their way into the national tournament by winning the Northeast District Championship. They defeated Prairie State in the district title game, 1-0, to grab their spot in Tyler.
 
Leaders: The Jayhawks are led by Thomas Cruden, who has totaled 16 points and seven goals in nine games this season. Evan Fles is next with 12 points and five goals. Theo Clayton has 11 points this season on three goals and five assists. Goalkeeper Alex Visscher is 10-3 with a 1.47 goals-against average and a .708 save percentage.
 
Additional facts: The Jayhawks' last loss came on Sept. 21 against Ancilla College by a score of 3-2. Muskegon later avenged that loss with a 5-1 victory over Ancilla on Nov. 2. Muskegon enters the national tournament on a 10-game winning streak.
 
The winner of Pool A will advance to the semifinals of the NJCAA Championship tournament. Semifinal matchups will take place on Friday, Nov. 22, with the championship game then set for Saturday, Nov. 23.
 
ABOUT THE ATHLETIC PROGRAM AT MONROE COLLEGE
The athletic program at Monroe College encompasses a total of 31 teams competing across nine sports. There are 19 varsity and junior varsity programs, as well as club men's and women's rugby, competing on the New Rochelle campus as the Mustangs (NJCAA Division I). The Monroe Express, based out of the Bronx campus, has 12 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).