Men's Soccer To Face WNEC In NCAA First Round At Wesleyan

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BABSON PARK, Mass. -- Following its second straight New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship, the Babson College men's soccer team is set to make its 21st appearance in the NCAA Tournament this weekend. The Beavers to travel to Middletown, Connnecticut, where they will face Western New England College in the first round at 1:30 p.m. on the campus of Wesleyan University.

The winner of Saturday's contest will play either St. Joseph's of Maine or the host Cardinals in Sunday's second round beginning at 1 p.m. Ticket prices for both games will be $6 for adults, $3 for students with IDs, and $2 for children.

The top seed in the NEWMAC Tournament, Babson earned wins over fourth-seeded WPI and second-seeded Wheaton to earn their second consecutive tourney championship. The Beavers, who finished the year ranked sixth in New England in the final NCAA regional poll, will enter the national tourney with a record of 15-5-1 overall.

Western New England, which enters its sixth straight NCAA Tournament with a record of 15-5-3,  earned an automatic bid after capturing The Commonwealth Coast Conference (TCCC) Tournament championship with a 4-0 win over Wentworth this past Saturday. The Golden Bears were ranked 11th in the NCAA's final New England poll.

Babson is led by senior Dan Fogarty (Brookline, N.H.), who recorded four goals and 13 assists for 21 points this fall. The veteran midfielder became the program's all-time assist leader this season, and he assisted both of the Beavers' goals in their 2-1 victory over Wheaton in the conference final. First-year Eric Anderson (Scituate, Mass.) will also bolster the team's offense after leading the team and third in the league with 13 goals and six assists for 32 points. Both were recently tabbed All-NEWMAC First Team, while Anderson was named the league's Rookie of the Year.

Defensively, the Beavers will be led by All-Conference Second Team honorees Peter Crowley (Lexington, Mass.) and Chris Morris (Shoreline, Wash.), as well as senior captain Sean Gleason (Clinton, N.Y.). Crowley went 12-3-1 with a 1.37 GAA and .758 save percentage in 16 games in net this fall, while Morris and Gleason each dished out one assist while anchoring the Beavers' backfield.

Babson should also receive a spark from two of its bench players, as sophomore Jimmy Stento (Needham, Mass.) and Ayo Iwuagwu (Lagos, Nigerai) look to continue their brilliant play of late. Iwuagwu tied sophomore standout Billy Nickerson (Middleton, Mass.) for second on the team with seven goals while ranking fourth on the squad with 15 points this season, and Stento was Babson's hottest player down the stretch, posting nine of his ten points in the final three games, including two goals and one assist in the NEWMAC Tournament. Stento netted the game-winner in the 77th minute of the Beavers' 2-1 win over Wheaton in the championship game, helping him garner NEWMAC Player of the Week honors.

Playing in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and the 21st time in program history, Babson will be seeking its fourth national championship. The Beavers were the first team ever to win three national titles when they won the tournament in 1975, 1979, and 1980.