Men’s Soccer Entertains Albertus Magnus in GNAC Quarterfinals Saturday

Men’s Soccer Entertains Albertus Magnus in GNAC Quarterfinals Saturday

Game Info

Date
Time

Venue

Stats
Audio
Series Record
Last Meeting
Streak 

#4 Suffolk vs. #5 Albertus Magnus
Saturday, Oct. 29
1 p.m.
James A. Sartori Stadium
East Boston Memorial Park
Live Stats
Suffolk Free Radio
19th Meeting (7-11, since '02)
9.10.16, W, 1-0
W1


BOSTON – For the first time since 2010 the Suffolk men's soccer team will play host of the GNAC Quarterfinals as the fourth-seeded Rams welcome No. 5 Albertus Magnus to James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park Saturday, Oct. 29. The post season contest is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.         

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THE FIELD
Saturday, Oct. 29 – Quarterfinals
Game 1: #8 Mount Ida at #1 Saint Joseph's (Maine) – TBA
Game 2: #5 Albertus Magnus at #4 Suffolk – 1 p.m.
Game 3: #6 Emmanuel at #3 JWU – TBA
Game 4: #7 Rivier at #2 Norwich – 1 p.m. 

Tuesday, Nov. 1 - Semifinals
GAME 5: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner
GAME 6: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner

Saturday, Nov. 5 – Championship
GAME 7: Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Winner

LAST TIME OUT
The Suffolk men's soccer team suffered an 8-0 setback at Dean Tuesday afternoon in the Rams' regular season finale at Grant Field.      


MORE READING: Dean Stifles Men's Soccer, 8-0, in Regular Season Finale

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
Suffolk (8-9-0, 6-3-0 GNAC) locked up the fourth seed in the GNAC tournament thanks to the most conference victories (6) in the program's history. 

Suffolk's 38 goals this season rank fifth since 2005 in the Rams' annals with Alberto Bittan's team and league-leading numbers of 15 goals and 34 points ranking atop Suffolk's seasons lists back to 2005. Jarrett Davis, meanwhile, has dished out a conference-best eight assists, which tie two other Rams – Bernhard Lotterer and Marco D'Andrea - for second through the past 12 seasons. The freshman forward is also a threat in scoring himself, tallying three goals for a 14-point collegiate debut effort. Classmate Christian Restrepo is one point shy of Davis' effort with 13 on four goals and five assists while Aaron Haggas (5-1-11) and Jordan Casey (3-5-11) have each provided 11 points to the Rams' offense. 

In net, Jon Brodeur and Kyle Van Cleef are the Rams' go to. Brodeur boasts a .704 save percentage with 57 saves and 24 goals-allowed (2.37 GAA), while Van Cleef holds a .654 save percentage thanks to 34 saves and 18 goals-allowed (2.69 GAA). 

FALCONS FACTS
Thanks to a 4-4-1 mark against conference opponents, Albertus Magnus took the fifth seed. The Falcons, who dropped their league regular season finale at Norwich, 1-0, fell in its final postseason prep at MCLA, 5-1, Tuesday to carry an overall record of 9-7-1 into Saturday. 

Four different Falcons have registered double figures point with Justyn Broderick's 17 leading the way. The junior midfielder has dished out a team-high five assists along to go along with six goals. Brayan Lucero (2-5-9) also has five handouts on his stat line. Matt Mueller is second on the squad in points (12) thanks to a team-high seven tallies. Alex Zapata (5-2-12) and Ritchy Jean Pierre (4-3-11) round out Albertus Magnus players with double digit points. 

Joe Russo has played nearly every minute in between the pipes for the Falcons. The netminder owns a 1.24 goals-against average with 20 saves and a.787 save percentage for a 9-7-1 record that has four shutouts. 

WE MEET AGAIN
The then-reigning GNAC Corvias Player of the Week, Alberto Bittan, was the deciding factor in the Suffolk men's conference opener as the senior scored the lone goal to lift the Rams over Albertus Magnus at Celentano Field Sept. 10. 

MORE READING: Bittan Lifts Men's Soccer Over Albertus Magnus in GNAC Opener

INSIDE THE SERIES
Suffolk and Albertus Magnus have taken the pitch 18 times since 2002 with the Rams trailing the all-time series 7-11-0. Suffolk picked up a 1-0 victory in the regular season over the Falcons, but overall Albertus Magnus have outscored the Rams, 35-25.                 

EYES ON THE GAME

POST-SEASON PUSH
The Rams will vie for the GNAC conference crown 16th time since joining the league in 1999 as Suffolk, which enters the tournament as the fourth seed, hosts fifth-seeded Albertus Magnus Saturday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. at James A. Sartori Stadium. 

Suffolk's third consecutive appearance also marks the first time the Rams will have home field advantage in the quarterfinals since being the fourth seed in 2010. Overall, Suffolk has been the fourth seed on four occasions and won its lone conference championship as the fourth seed.

The Rams have met Albertus Magnus in the post season three times overall and twice in the quarterfinals. The Falcons defeated Suffolk 2-0 in both quarterfinal contests, while the Rams took down the Falcons, 2-1, in the team's only championship meeting. 

BRILLANT BITTAN
Alberto Bittan has had a stand up senior season. The forward is among the nation's best with 34 points on 15 goals, including five game-winners. Bittan's numbers, both goals and points, lead the way for Suffolk in its recent history, dating back to the 2005 season. His five game-winners, meanwhile, sit 14th across all NCAA DIII. 

DOMINANT DAVIS
Jarrett Davis has made a meaningful impact as a freshman this season. He leads Suffolk and the GNAC in assists with eight, a number that sits second in the past 12 campaigns in the Rams' season annals. Overall he has provided 14 points on three scores and eight assists in his collegiate debut. 

GNAC GAINS
Suffolk's six GNAC victories this season are the most conference wins for the Rams since the blue and gold joined the GNAC contingent in 1999.   

HERO OF THE WEEK NOMINEE
Jarrett Davis was nominated for HeroSports.com DIII HERO of the Week after his four-assist performance in the 5-1 win over Norwich. Davis came in second in the national poll finishing just 11 votes shy of Wisconsin-Luteran's Erek Lehnen. 

OVERTIME
Suffolk played in its second overtime game of 2016 Oct. 10, but for the first time since 2014, the Rams came out on the winning side when the blue and gold defeated Emmanuel 1-0. The last time Suffolk won an overtime contest was a 2-1 double overtime win against Regis Sept. 17,2 014. 

SHUTOUT
The Rams shutout over Albertus Magnus Sept. 10 was the first time Suffolk kept an opponent scoreless since a 2-0 win versus Johnson & Wales Sept. 27, 2014. On Oct. 10, Suffolk recorded its fourth cleansheet of the season; the most for the Rams since blanking match that number in 2012.  

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
After a career day, freshman Jarrett Davis of the Suffolk men's soccer team has beennamed the GNAC Corvias Rookie of the Week, the conference office announced Oct. 10

MORE READING: Davis Picks Up GNAC Corvias Rookie of the Week 

BACK-TO-BACK
Suffolk notched back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2013 when it blanked Anna Maria (4-0, Sept. 21) and Eastern Nazarene (3-0, Sept. 25). 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK, AGAIN, AND AGAIN
For the third time this season, Alberto Bittan has been recognized by the conference as the senior grabbed Co-GNAC Corvias Player of the Week honor, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Bittan shares the weekly accolade with Norwich's Jacob Zimmerman. 

MORE READING: Bittan Grabs Co-GNAC Player of the Week Accolade

HATS OFF
Alberto Bittan knocked in three goals against UMass Dartmouth Sept. 4, becoming the first Ram to register a hat trick since Djibril Niang did so against the Corsairs Oct. 28, 2014. He repeated a three-goal game performance against Regis Sept. 17, becoming the first Suffolk player to net two hat tricks in one season since Danny Lloyd scored a pair in 2010. 

GOALIE OF THE WEEK
For the second straight week a member of the Suffolk men's soccer team was honored by the conference as sophomore keeper Kyle Van Cleef was named GNAC Corvias Goalie of the Week following a shutout performance in the Rams' league opener.

MORE READING: Van Cleef Tabbed GNAC Corvias Goalie of the Week

CONFERENCE OPENER
Suffolk won its conference opener for the first time since defeating Anna Maria in the first league game of the 2012 season, 9-0. 

SCORING FRENZY
Suffolk's five goals in the 6-5 setback to UMass Dartmouth Sept. 4 are the most for the Rams since Suffolk matched that number versus Anna Maria Oct. 13, 2014. 

SUFFOLK FREE RADIO
Suffolk Athletics has teamed up with Suffolk Free Radio to bring Ram Nation 17 live broadcasts of Suffolk soccer games this season. 

The pre-game shows are set to launch 15 minutes prior to kick-off of all contests and fans can follow along at mixlr.com/suffolkfreeradio/.  

COMING UP
The victor of Saturday's showdown will advance to the conference semifinals Tuesday, Nov. 1 and will face the winner of #1 Saint Joseph's (Maine)/#8 Mount Ida.