Watch King's NCAA Preview on WNEP-TV 16 Here

KING'S MEN'S SOCCER TEAM HOSTING LYCOMING THURSDAY IN FIRST-EVER NCAA DIVISION III NATIONAL TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE

DIRECTIONS TO THE BETZLER ATHLETIC COMPLEX (Off-Campus)

WILKES-BARRE — The King's College men's soccer team will play its firsts-ever NCAA Division III National Tournament game at home on Thursday when the Monarchs host Lycoming College at 6:00 p.m. at McCarthy Stadium in the Betzler Athletic Complex.

Ticket prices are set at $6 for adults, $3 for seniors, $3 for students, $2 for children under ages 3-12, while children under age 3 are free.

Fans unable to attend the game can follow the action on LiveStats at:  
http://www.sidearmstats.com/kings/msoc/

The game will also be streaming live at:
http://www.kings.edu/mykings/streaming

King's, which earned an automatic berth into the event by winning its first Freedom Conference Tournament championship with a 2-1 victory over FDU-Florham on Saturday, will enter the contest with a 11-4-5 record. Head coach Mark Bassetts's Monarchs reached the title game for the first time since 2007 when the Monarchs tallied a 0-0, double-overtime penalty kick shootout triumph over defending league champion Misericordia.

Lycoming, meanwhile, is 10-7-4 and won the Commonwealth Conference championship with a 0-0, double-overtime penalty kick shootout over Elizabethtown. The Warriors posted a spectacular, yet gut-wrenching tournament run, beginning with a 1-0 double-overtime victory over Lebanon Valley. The Warriors then stunned defending Division III national champion Messiah in a 0-0, double-overtime penalty kick shootout.  Lycoming would then repeat the feat with its title game performance against Elizabethtown. In all, the Warriors played 330 minutes over three tournament games to reach the NCAA tournament.

King's and Lycoming have not played each other since the 2007 season. The teams had both been together in the MAC Freedom Conference before the conference realigned and the Warriors were moved to the MAC Commonwealth Conference beginning in the 2008 Fall season.  

Prior to the realignment, Lycoming had won the previous four meetings. The Warriors were victorious in the last meeting by a 3-0 margin in 2007, the last of a four-year streak that began in 2004. Prior to 2004, the Monarchs were winners from 2001-03. Over the past 10 meetings from 1998-2007, the teams have won five games each.

King's has been paced by the play of junior midfielder Niall Croke, a first-team All-Freedom Conference selection, who tops the squad with 15 points on five goals and five assists. Sophomore forward Chris Nygren, a second-team All-Freedom choice, follows with 14 points on four goals and six assists despite missing three games with an injury. Sophomore forward Daniel Hernandez, a first-team All-Freedom selection and senior midfielder Andrew Tuminello both add 14 points on six goals and two assists apiece. Freshman forward Cameron Rhodes has tallied 12 points on four goals and four assists while fellow rookie forward Brian Fenster contributes with 10 points in four goals and two assists.

The Monarch defense has been solid throughout the year, giving up only 19 goals in 20 games while allowing a scant 3.4 shots on goal each contest.

The unit has been paced by senior Eric Stanfiedl, a two-time All-Freedom Conference selection, along with junior Mike Smart, a three-year starter.  Other top defenders include juniors Kevin Hagmeier, Chris Conaty, and Tyler Harlan, along with freshman Phil Kistner. In goal, senior Mark Labbadia has excelled, posting an outstanding 0.72 goals against average with 39 saves.

In Lycoming, King's faces a squad that mirrors itself after the Monarchs in several ways.  Defensively, the Warriors have allowed only 18 goals in 21 games and just 5.9 shots on-goal per-game.

The Warrior offense is headed by Alfonce Mutuku who has a team-high 14 points on seven goals. Luke Klingler follows with 13 points on four goals and five assists. Moises Lazo adds 12 points on three goals and six assists while Connor McNiff chips in with 11 points on five goals and one assist.  In goal, Connor Keenan owns a 0.81 goals per-game average with 81 saves.

Watch King's NCAA Preview on WNEP-TV 16 Here


Please be aware that the NCAA is no longer providing national tournament programs at the site of competition. Instead, the NCAA has created "virtual programs" which can be viewed online or on mobile devices. Information such as team rosters, schedules, results, and statistics will be available in the form of links on each team page.  Those interested in purchasing a program can go to the following link.

http://www.ncaa.com/content/division-iii-mens-soccer-championships-guide

The winner of the King's-Lycoming game will advance to the NCAA Tournament second round and will face host RutgersCamden University (19-0-2) Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in Camden, N.J.


King's Notes:

1)  King's men's soccer was founded in 1980.
 
2)  This is the program's first-ever NCAA Division III National Tournament berth.

3)  The Monarchs are 11-4-5 this season.
 
4)  King's 2-1 win over FDU-Florham Saturday was program's first-ever Freedom Conference championship.
 
5)  King's was 2nd in 2007 Freedom Conference Tournament.

6)  In 2008 King's went 16-1-5 and won the Eastern College Athletic Conference Southern Region Championship.

7)  Thursday's game will be King's first against Lycoming since the 2007 season after Lycoming moved from the MAC Freedom Conference to the MAC Commonwealth Conference beginning in 2008.

8)  King's has been built on defense and has allowed only 19 goals in 20 games.

9)  King's had four players named All-Freedom Conference:   1st team- senior midfielder Niall Croke, senior defender Eric Stanfield, and sophomore forward Daniel Hernandez. Sophomore forward Chris Nygren was a second-team choice.

10)  King's senior goalie Mark Labbadia owns a 0.72 goals-against average.

11)  King's coach Mark Bassett is in his 7th year with the Monarchs. As a player at Messiah College he scored the game-winning goal in the 2000 NCAA Division III national championship game.
 
 
King's Under Mark Bassett
2007:  8-9-3, Freedom Conference runner-up
2008:  16-1-5, ECAC Southern Region champions
2009:  11-7-1, Freedom semi-finals.
2010:  10-9
2011:  10-5-2
2012:  10-6-2, Freedom semi-finals
2013:  11-4-5, Freedom Conference champions
 
Last 10 Meetings against Lycoming (Teams have gone 5-5 in last 10 meetings)
3-0 loss in 2007
4-1 loss in 2006
1-0 loss in 2005
2-0 loss in 2004
1-0 win in 2003
2-1 win in 2002
3-2 win in 2001
4-3 loss in 2000 (OT)
2-1 win in 1999
1-0 win in 1998 (OT)