Horizon League announces pairings for Men's Soccer Championship tournament
Nov. 5, 2007
Complete Release in PDF Format 
INDIANAPOLIS -- An automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament is on the line as nine teams compete for the 2007 Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship, presented by the U.S. Army. The tournament begins Friday (Nov. 9), leading to the crowning of this year's champion on Nov. 18.
Defending League champion Loyola University Chicago carries the top seed into this year's summit, winning the regular-season title with a 5-1-2 loop record as part of a 10-4-4 overall mark. The Ramblers allowed only two goals in eight League contests, while sophomore forward Michael Ferguson topped the circuit with 15 goals and 32 points during the regular season. Loyola had an eight-match (5-0-3) unbeaten streak snapped Saturday night but has lost only two of 15 matches since Sept. 7. Junior goalkeeper Brian Byrne boasts a 0.68 goals-against aveage and has set a school single-season record with ten shutouts.
The tournament kicks off with three first-round matches on Friday (Nov. 9). Fourth-seeded University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (9-4-5 overall, 4-2-2 in the League) hosts ninth seed Cleveland State University
(3-13-2, 0-7-1), while eighth seed University of Detroit Mercy visits fifth seed Butler University (8-6-4, 4-2-2). Friday's other contest features League newcomer and seventh seed Valparaiso University (4-10-3, 2-4-2) at sixth seed Wright State University (6-12-0, 3-5-0).
Green Bay stood atop the League standings for most of the regular season before dropping two of its last three contests. The Phoenix features two of the League's top scorers in junior forward Tosaint Ricketts and freshman forward JC Banks, who each recorded five goals during the regular season. Freshman goalkeeper Nick Harpel anchors the defense for Cleveland State, compiling a 1.51 goals-against average with 64 saves and three shutouts during the regular season. The Phoenix won the earlier meeting between the schools, edging the Vikings 1-0 on Oct. 12 in Green Bay.
Butler finished the regular season on a four-match winning streak, outscoring its opponents 13-5 during that span. Junior forward Frank Patano ranks second in the League with 14 goals and 29 points, with sophomore forward Boris Gatzky adding five goals and six assists (second-best in the League) for 16 points. Detroit struggled offensively for most of the regular season but has scored six goals in its last three outings. Junior midfielder Renato Susnja paces the Titan attack with seven goals and two assists. Butler's recent scoring flurry includes a 5-1 victory over UDM on Oct. 21 in Indianapolis.
Wright State dropped 11 of its first 13 matches but posted a four-match winning streak to move into the sixth position. The Raiders---who close the regular season at home against IUPUI on Monday---had that run stopped in the regular-season finale at Butler on Thursday but have posted three shutouts in their last five contests. Senior netminder Tebias Mason carries a 1.54 goals-against mark and 79 saves. Valparaiso defeated Cleveland State 1-0 in its final regular-season match. Sophomore defender Steve Shively leads the Crusaders with four goals while freshman midfielder Adrian Ortiz leads the League with seven assists. Wright State outlasted Valpo 1-0 in overtime on Oct. 28 in Dayton.
The winners of those three contests join third-seeded University of Illinois at Chicago in second-round action, slated for Sunday (Nov. 11). The Flames host the winner of the 6/7 match-up, with the other two survivors meeting at the home of the higher-seeded team for the right to join Loyola and second-seeded University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the semifinals.
UIC defeated Loyola 1-0 in overtime Saturday to claim the third seed with its third consecutive League victory. The Flames were the top pick in the preseason coaches' poll but struggled to find consistency for most of the season. Senior forward Cesar Zambrano ranks fifth in the League with 15 points and shares fourth place on the loop charts with freshman forward Matt Spiess. Each scored five goals during the regular season. Sophomore netminder Jovan Bubonja leads the League with a 0.61 goals-against average, posting eight shutouts in 2007.
Loyola Soccer Park provides the backdrop for the remainder of the tournament, with the semifinals set for Friday, Nov. 16, and the title showdown on Sunday, Nov. 18.
Milwaukee began the season with a program-record eight-match losing streak but experienced a dramatic turnaround in the second half of the season. The Panthers are 5-2-3 since Sept. 29, allowing only seven goals during that time after yielding 16 in their first eight contests. Junior goalkeeper Ryan Germann and sophomore Grant Fernstrum have combined to post a 1.21 goals-against average with four shutouts, while senior midfielder Zeke Dombrowski leads the UWM attack with four goals and three assists for 11 points. Milwaukee finishes the regular season Tuesday at Northern Illinois.
The Ramblers entered the 2006 League Championship as the fourth seed but defeated Cleveland State, 3-2, and outlasted host UIC in a penalty-kick shootout to advance to the title match. Loyola then edged second-seeded Green Bay 1-0 in the final, with tournament MVP Iradj Farahmand anchoring the LU defense and Keum Sung Kim scoring the only goal of the match. The title was the first in program history for the Ramblers.
To follow all the action of this year's Horizon League Championship, log on to www.horizonleague.org and click on the Men's
Soccer Championship icon. The championship page includes links to CSTV's Gametracker for games in progress, along with complete summaries and box scores as contests are completed. The semifinal and championship matches will be video streamed on the Horizon League Network, which can be reached at www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv.
For more information regarding the 2007 Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship, presented by the U.S. Army, log on to the Horizon League web site at www.horizonleague.org.
Complete Release in PDF Format
INDIANAPOLIS -- An automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament is on the line as nine teams compete for the 2007 Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship, presented by the U.S. Army. The tournament begins Friday (Nov. 9), leading to the crowning of this year's champion on Nov. 18.
Defending League champion Loyola University Chicago carries the top seed into this year's summit, winning the regular-season title with a 5-1-2 loop record as part of a 10-4-4 overall mark. The Ramblers allowed only two goals in eight League contests, while sophomore forward Michael Ferguson topped the circuit with 15 goals and 32 points during the regular season. Loyola had an eight-match (5-0-3) unbeaten streak snapped Saturday night but has lost only two of 15 matches since Sept. 7. Junior goalkeeper Brian Byrne boasts a 0.68 goals-against aveage and has set a school single-season record with ten shutouts.
The tournament kicks off with three first-round matches on Friday (Nov. 9). Fourth-seeded University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (9-4-5 overall, 4-2-2 in the League) hosts ninth seed Cleveland State University
(3-13-2, 0-7-1), while eighth seed University of Detroit Mercy visits fifth seed Butler University (8-6-4, 4-2-2). Friday's other contest features League newcomer and seventh seed Valparaiso University (4-10-3, 2-4-2) at sixth seed Wright State University (6-12-0, 3-5-0).
Green Bay stood atop the League standings for most of the regular season before dropping two of its last three contests. The Phoenix features two of the League's top scorers in junior forward Tosaint Ricketts and freshman forward JC Banks, who each recorded five goals during the regular season. Freshman goalkeeper Nick Harpel anchors the defense for Cleveland State, compiling a 1.51 goals-against average with 64 saves and three shutouts during the regular season. The Phoenix won the earlier meeting between the schools, edging the Vikings 1-0 on Oct. 12 in Green Bay.
Butler finished the regular season on a four-match winning streak, outscoring its opponents 13-5 during that span. Junior forward Frank Patano ranks second in the League with 14 goals and 29 points, with sophomore forward Boris Gatzky adding five goals and six assists (second-best in the League) for 16 points. Detroit struggled offensively for most of the regular season but has scored six goals in its last three outings. Junior midfielder Renato Susnja paces the Titan attack with seven goals and two assists. Butler's recent scoring flurry includes a 5-1 victory over UDM on Oct. 21 in Indianapolis.
Wright State dropped 11 of its first 13 matches but posted a four-match winning streak to move into the sixth position. The Raiders---who close the regular season at home against IUPUI on Monday---had that run stopped in the regular-season finale at Butler on Thursday but have posted three shutouts in their last five contests. Senior netminder Tebias Mason carries a 1.54 goals-against mark and 79 saves. Valparaiso defeated Cleveland State 1-0 in its final regular-season match. Sophomore defender Steve Shively leads the Crusaders with four goals while freshman midfielder Adrian Ortiz leads the League with seven assists. Wright State outlasted Valpo 1-0 in overtime on Oct. 28 in Dayton.
The winners of those three contests join third-seeded University of Illinois at Chicago in second-round action, slated for Sunday (Nov. 11). The Flames host the winner of the 6/7 match-up, with the other two survivors meeting at the home of the higher-seeded team for the right to join Loyola and second-seeded University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the semifinals.
UIC defeated Loyola 1-0 in overtime Saturday to claim the third seed with its third consecutive League victory. The Flames were the top pick in the preseason coaches' poll but struggled to find consistency for most of the season. Senior forward Cesar Zambrano ranks fifth in the League with 15 points and shares fourth place on the loop charts with freshman forward Matt Spiess. Each scored five goals during the regular season. Sophomore netminder Jovan Bubonja leads the League with a 0.61 goals-against average, posting eight shutouts in 2007.
Loyola Soccer Park provides the backdrop for the remainder of the tournament, with the semifinals set for Friday, Nov. 16, and the title showdown on Sunday, Nov. 18.
Milwaukee began the season with a program-record eight-match losing streak but experienced a dramatic turnaround in the second half of the season. The Panthers are 5-2-3 since Sept. 29, allowing only seven goals during that time after yielding 16 in their first eight contests. Junior goalkeeper Ryan Germann and sophomore Grant Fernstrum have combined to post a 1.21 goals-against average with four shutouts, while senior midfielder Zeke Dombrowski leads the UWM attack with four goals and three assists for 11 points. Milwaukee finishes the regular season Tuesday at Northern Illinois.
The Ramblers entered the 2006 League Championship as the fourth seed but defeated Cleveland State, 3-2, and outlasted host UIC in a penalty-kick shootout to advance to the title match. Loyola then edged second-seeded Green Bay 1-0 in the final, with tournament MVP Iradj Farahmand anchoring the LU defense and Keum Sung Kim scoring the only goal of the match. The title was the first in program history for the Ramblers.
To follow all the action of this year's Horizon League Championship, log on to www.horizonleague.org and click on the Men's
Soccer Championship icon. The championship page includes links to CSTV's Gametracker for games in progress, along with complete summaries and box scores as contests are completed. The semifinal and championship matches will be video streamed on the Horizon League Network, which can be reached at www.horizonleaguenetwork.tv.
For more information regarding the 2007 Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship, presented by the U.S. Army, log on to the Horizon League web site at www.horizonleague.org.
### 2007 Horizon League Men's Soccer Championship Schedule
First Round -- Friday, Nov. 9
#8 seed Detroit (5-9-5, 1-4-3) at #5 seed Butler (8-6-4, 4-2-2), 1:00 p.m.
#7 seed Valparaiso (4-10-3, 2-4-2) at #6 seed Wright State (6-12-0, 3-5-0, 7:00 p.m.
Second Round -- Saturday, Nov. 11
(hosted by higher-seeded teams)
Detroit/Butler winner vs. Cleveland State/Green Bay winner, 1 p.m. local
Valparaiso/Wright State winner at #3 seed UIC (8-5-5, 4-1-3) 8:00 p.m.
Semifinals -- Friday, Nov. 16
(at Chicago, Ill. - Loyola Soccer Park)
Detroit / Wright State winner at #1 seed Loyola (10-3-4, 5-0-2) 6:00 p.m.
Valparaiso / Butler winner vs. #2 seed Milwaukee (5-10-3, 5-2-1) 8:30 p.m.
Championship -- Sunday, Nov. 18
(at Chicago, Ill. - Loyola Soccer Park)
Semifinal winners 2:30 p.m.
Note: Wright State concludes the regular season at home versus IUPUI on Monday, while Milwaukee plays at Northern Illinois on Tuesday.
