Flagler to Host NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer Quarterfinal

ST. AUGUSTINE – Flagler College will host one of the four NCAA Division II Men’s Soccer National Quarterfinal matches on Saturday (Nov. 19) at 7 p.m. at Saints Field. No. 10 (NSCAA Division II Top 25) Flagler (17-3-2) will host No. 20 Lynn University (13-4-2).

The cost of tickets for the event will be: $7 for adults; $5 for seniors and students (with valid ID); $3 for children (ages 12-3); children under three years old are free.

The winner of the match will move on to the final four Dec. 1-3 at the University of West Florida in Pensacola, Fla. They will face the winner of the Franklin Pierce University-Southern New Hampshire University match in the national semifinals.

Flagler is riding a program-best 13-match unbeaten streak. Only a 0-0 double-overtime tie at then-No. 21 (NAIA) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Oct. 29 is the only blemish in the streak.

The Saints are tied for first in NCAA Division II with 58 goals. The team has also broken school records for assists in a season (50) and points (166). The Saints have also broken school records in shots (377) and shots on goal (167).

Flagler has a balanced scoring attack and is led by junior midfielder Joseph Toby and senior forward Mack Hough. Both have scored 11 goals this season. Toby has added eight assists for a team-high 30 points. Both earned first-team All-Peach Belt Conference honors. Senior midfielder Pol Berenguer has scored four goals and tallied a team-high 10 assists for 18 points. He earned the PBC Tournament Most Valuable Player Award and earned first-team Daktronics All-Southeast Region honors. Sophomore forward Zach Shanahan scored seven goals, including three game-winners. Senior midfielder Johan Bergfeld, the PBC Player of the Year, Has scored six goals, with four game-winners, and tallied five assists. First-team all-conference sophomore defender Kevin Keenan keys a stout Flagler back four. Freshman goalkeeper Camp Bissell has recorded nine shutouts this season and boasts a 0.92 goals against average. John Lynch was named the Peach Belt’s Coach of the year for the second time in three seasons. The Saints won both the regular and post season conference titles.

Lynn was the Sunshine State Conference regular season champion and is riding a six-match unbeaten streak. The only blemish for the Fighting Knights was a 0-0- double-overtime draw to Barry University in the SSC Tournament final. Barry won 7-6 on penalty kicks.
Lynn has one of the best defenses in the country. The Fighting Knights rank No. 2 in Division II in shutout percentage (0.63) and is third in team goals against average (0.47). Junior goalkeeper Matt DiCerbo is No. 3 in the country in goals against average (0.51). He has recorded nine shutouts this season.

Leading the Fighting Knights are a pair of first-team all-conference players: forward Harald Gracholski and midfielder Heiko Eberhardt. Gracholski has scored a team-high 10 goals, including seven game-winners, and a team-best 21 points. Eberhardt has scored seven goals and converted both of his penalty kick attempts. DiCerbo earned second-team all-conference honors along with the SSC Freshman of the Year Jason Sangha. Sangha has logged the most minutes on the pitch this season with 1,645.

This will be a re-match of a contest played Oct. 4, also in St. Augustine. A Roberto Cadihle goal but Lynn on top in the 37^th minute, but Will Frandsen blasted home the equalizer in the 47^th minute. Eammon Murphy put the Saints ahead for good when he booted in a free kick and Shanahan provided the insurance goal in the 64^th minute. Julian Halder added a goal in the 88^th minute for the Fighting Knights. Lynn out-shot Flagler 19-10. Bissell made four saves for the Saints while DiCerbo tallied two saves.

You can watch the game live through Flagler's UStream channel here and follow along with live stats here.