Clayton State, Lander Advance to NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS, IND -- Clayton State and Lander found out on Monday afternoon that they will compete in the 2007 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament as the 32-team field was announced by the national office. The Lakers, 2007 PBC Champions and PBC Tournament Champions, will be the #2 seed at the Southeast Region. Lander will be the #3 seed. The regional will be hosted by top-seeded Lees-McRae.

The regional begins on Thursday, Nov. 8, and unfortunately for the PBC Clayton State and Lander will face each other in the first game. Lees-McRae will then host fourth-seeded Queens in the second game. Game times have not been established.

Clayton State makes their third NCAA tournament appearance in the last four years and their fifth overall. The Lakers finished 14-3-2 including a 3-2 overtime win against Lander in the PBC Tournament Championship game last Sunday. The Lakers won the regular-season championship with a 4-1-1 PBC record, their third straight PBC Championship.

Lander continues its rich history of post-season play by making their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance and fifth since becoming a founding member of the PBC in 1991. The Bearcats enter the championship draw with a 13-4-2 record, finishing as the second seed for the PBC Tournament where they advanced to the championship game.

Clayton State has beaten Lander in both of their matchups this season. They first met on Oct. 20 in Greenwood where the Lakers denied the Bearcats a chance to claim the regular-season PBC title for their own with a 2-1 win. Just yesterday the two met again, this time in Morrow, where Lander saw a 2-0 lead vanish and Clayton State take a 3-2 double-overtime victory in what is being called one of the most thrilling PBC Tournament title games ever played. Both teams are also nationally ranked; Clayton State is currently 14th while Lander is 19th.

The two first-round winners will meet for the region championship on Saturday, Nov. 10 in Banner Elk. The region champion will then face the winner of the South Region on or around Nov. 18 in the national quarterfinals. The four quarterfinal winners will advance to the national semifinals and finals Nov. 30 and Dec. 2 at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala. The host will be the University of West Florida.