FULL DIVISION II TOURNAMENT BRACKET
 
Date:  Saturday, Nov. 10, 1:00 p.m.
Location: Pioneer Soccer Park | Brookville, N.Y.
Game Links:  Watch Live | Live Stats 
Twitter: @LIUPostPioneers | @LIUPMSOC
LIU Post Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats
Mercy Links: News | Roster | Schedule | Stats 
 
THE FIRST LOOK

After defeating Mercy College 2-0 in the East Coast Conference Championship match on Saturday, Nov. 3 the second-seeded Pioneers earned a bye in the opening round of the NCAA Division II East Regional. The Pioneers were ranked No. 14 in the United Soccer Coaches Association poll on Sunday, Nov. 4.
 
Third-seeded Mercy advanced to the second round of the Regional after defeating No. 6 seed Pace University 1-0 on Thursday, Nov. 8 at the Pioneer Soccer Park. Redshirt freshman forward Ryan Sipavicius scored the match's only goal in the 41^st minute after receiving assists from sophomore defender Francisco Ricci and junior midfielder Gaston Rozenblum. Mercy was ranked No. 21 in the USCA poll on Sunday, Nov. 4.

INSIDE THE SERIES
 
Saturday's contest will be a rematch of the ECC championship match where the Pioneers defeated Mercy 2-0. Graduate student forward Lukas Ostermann scored in the 56^th minute after receiving an assist from freshman midfielder Atha Coutroumpas and senior midfielder Vittorio Argeri scored off a free kick in the 82^nd minute for the Pioneers. LIU Post is 17-7-5 all-time against the Mavericks
  
SCOUTING REPORT
 
LIU Post


After winning the ECC Championship for the fourth-consecutive year eight Pioneers were honored  by the conference with annual awards on Monday, Nov. 5. Ostermann was named Offensive Player of the Year and was named to the first-team along with freshman midfielder Javier Rehberger Martin and freshman defender Paul Hein.  Argeri, junior midfielder Yohance Alexander, junior defender Kyle Parish and senior goalkeeper Oliver Hessner Hansen were second-team honorees.
 
Ostermann leads the Pioneers and ECC in points and goals with 52 and 36 while he is tied for second in the nation in both categories. He is also second on the team and in the conference in assists with six.
 
Argeri leads the team and ECC in assists with eight while Hessner Hansen's save percentage of .840 leads the ECC. His .63 saves is second in the conference as is his 0.82 goals against average.
 
The Pioneers defensive unit, led by Hein, Parish and junior Mike Sutton leads the ECC with a 0.91 goals against average and have held opponents scoreless eight times, the most of any ECC team.

Mercy


The Mavericks were also prominently featured in the ECC end of season awards; head coach Pedro Velazquez was named Coach of the Year and junior defender Gaston Rozenblum  was named Defensive Player of the Year. Junior midfielder Maximiliano Robodello-Camus, Manuel Achondo and Jose Izarra were named to the first-team while junior Ignacio Mangada was named to the second-team. Freshman Aaron Denk-Gracia was a third-team honoree.
 
With 49 goals on the season Mercy is ranked third in the ECC. Mercy leads the conference in corner kicks with 101 and shots 284.
 
Robolledo-Camus leads the Maverick attack with 11 goals and three assists for 25 points. Junior Ignacio Mangada also holds 20 points to his name, scoring eight goals and adding four assits.
 
Defensively, Mercy's back line is led by Denk-Gracia, Gaston Rozenblum, graduate student Christopher Birnie and sophomore Francisco Ricci. Despite allowing just 19 goals this season, the Mavericks do tend to concede at least one goal during most matches, holding opponents scoreless just four times.
 
Sophomore Jordan Williams is expected to start in goal for Mercy. Williams boasts a 12-3-1 record this season, recording all four shutouts for Mercy while compiling a .712 save percentage and a 1.15 goals-against average.
 
TICKET INFORMATION

Admission will be charged for all fans in attendance for the NCAA Tournament and will go on sale 60 minutes prior to kickoff. Tickets for adults will be $6 while tickets for children 12 and under and seniors 55 and over will be $4.