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WILKES-BARRE, PA. (November 4, 2026) -- The King's College men's soccer team is set for its first postseason test of the 2026 campaign as the third-seeded Monarchs travel to Glenside, Pa., to take on second-seeded Arcadia University in the MAC Freedom Semifinals on Thursday at 6 p.m. With a spot in the conference championship game on the line, the Monarchs look to carry their late-season momentum into their first playoff appearance under head coach Brandon Raynor.

King's enters the postseason at 8-7-4 overall and riding a three-game winning streak, with all three victories coming by identical 1-0 finals. Even more impressively, each of the Monarchs' three game-winning goals came in the 80th minute or later, showcasing the team's ability to deliver in the biggest moments. The recent stretch has helped King's secure its first MAC Freedom playoff berth since 2021 and establish a new standard for the program under Raynor.

"Putting this program back in the Freedom Conference playoffs has been a goal of ours," said Raynor. "To achieve it this year after the year we had last season is a great feeling for everyone involved."

The Monarchs will face an Arcadia squad that enters Thursday's semifinal with an 8-3-6 overall record and a 3-2-3 mark at Jean Lenox West Field. The Knights have also found their stride entering the postseason, winning two consecutive contests, including an impressive 3-2 road victory over top-seeded Lebanon Valley on Halloween. King's, meanwhile, is 2-5-2 away from McCarthy Stadium this season and will look to overcome the Knights on their home pitch.

SCOUTING THE KNIGHTS

The two programs have met 21 times in their history, with Arcadia holding a 12-6-3 advantage in the all-time series. The teams previously met earlier this season in Glenside, playing to a 1-1 draw. King's took the lead in the contest before the Knights converted a penalty kick in the 77th minute to even the score and secure the home draw. Thursday's contest will mark the first postseason meeting between the two programs despite a history of matchups dating back to 1993.

Both teams enter the semifinal among the MAC Freedom's strongest defensive units. Arcadia has surrendered the second-fewest goals in the conference, while King's ranks third in that category. Offensively, the Knights have scored the third-most goals in the MAC Freedom, while the Monarchs have faced a more difficult path to scoring, ranking second-to-last in conference goals.
First-year forward Joaquin Cedillo has been a consistent offensive presence for King's, ranking second in the MAC Freedom with 65 shots while putting 22 attempts on target. Cedillo has also recorded four goals and five assists, with his five assists ranking seventh in the conference. Forward Santiago Javadpour has also contributed four goals, giving King's two players among the conference's top 20 goal scorers.

Arcadia features a balanced offensive attack led by Scott Jordan and Elijah Kaba, who have each scored six goals to rank tied for fifth in the MAC Freedom. Jordan also ranks fourth in the conference with 56 shots and second with 31 shots on target. The Knights' offensive production extends to the midfield, where Jordan and Brayden Perry have each recorded six assists, ranking fourth and third in the conference, respectively.

In goal, junior Ben Van Valkenburg has anchored the Monarchs' defensive success throughout the season. Van Valkenburg leads the MAC Freedom with 74 saves while ranking second in the conference with a 0.813 save percentage and strong goals-against average. He has also recorded five shutouts, the second-most in the conference. Arcadia goalkeeper Randy Heiden enters the matchup with 35 saves, ranking eighth in the MAC Freedom.

Van Valkenburg's .813 save percentage trails only Stevens' goalkeeper Bobby Boyke, who leads the conference with a .845 mark and a 0.58 goals-against average. Boyke also tops the MAC Freedom with six shutouts, further highlighting the strength of the conference's defensive play this season.

THE ROAD TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP

"This is the minimum standard this program deserves," Raynor added. "We will keep pushing to achieve more."

The winner of Thursday's semifinal will advance to the MAC Freedom Championship game on Saturday, November 7, against the winner of the other semifinal between top-seeded Lebanon Valley and fourth-seeded Stevens that starts at 2 PM on Thursday afternoon. The highest remaining seed will earn hosting rights for the conference championship.

Stevens enters the postseason as the reigning standard in the MAC Freedom, having captured each of the last five conference men's soccer championships dating back to 2021. With the Ducks looking to defend their title once again, the Monarchs will have an opportunity to take another step forward in their postseason journey and compete for a conference championship.

King's will look to continue its late-season surge and make the most of its first postseason appearance under Raynor when it takes on Arcadia in Thursday's MAC Freedom Semifinals.