Atlantic Regional Central

ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst College men's soccer team prepares to travel to Millersville University November 9, to get ready to take on Millersville in the first round of the NCAA tournament which will be held on Thursday, November 10, with a start time of 7 p.m. at Chryst Field at Biemsderfer Stadium.

This year's bid into the NCAA playoffs marks the 11^th trip to the tournament in program history and its third consecutive showing. It's the most consecutive appearances among PSAC schools since East Stroudsburg made appearances in 2006, 2007 and 2008.  This is the second time that the Lakers have made it to the NCAA playoffs three years consecutively.  The last time Mercyhurst made it three consecutive years was from 2000-03, when it qualified four straight times. The Lakers made a Final Four appearance in 2002. 

This season marks the first time since 2008 that all four Atlantic region teams in the NCAA tournament are made up of PSAC schools.  In 2008, California (Pa.), Slippery Rock, East Stroudsburg and Millersville made up the four-team field.  The Marauders, who hosted then as well, came away with the regional title.

Millersville attained the top seed in the Atlantic Region after a season where it went 12-6-1overall, including a 6-2 record in its last eight games.  In that late season stretch, the Marauders beat the Lakers once and the Vulcans twice en route to their first-ever PSAC Tournament championship.  This is Millersville's third appearance in the NCAA playoffs, all under current head coach Steve Widdowson.

The Marauders match up against the Lakers in the evening match on November 10.  The Lakers have amassed a 10-7 regular season record.  Mercyhurst started the season with an 8-1 record, helping them rank as high as fourth in the nation, tying the program's highest-ever ranking.  After a string of losses, the Lakers fell out of the national spotlight, but maintained a top four ranking in the Atlantic Region poll, earning them a bid into the NCAA Tournament as the No.4 seed. 

Head-to-head, the Lakers and the Marauders have split the all-time series (2-2) with Millersville winning the previous two contests.  In 2008, Millersville won the regional title but Mercyhurst beat them in the regular season, 2-1.  Since then the 'Hurst have dropped 1-0 and 3-1 decisions. 

California (Pa.) enters the NCAA playoffs as the 2 seed this year, making its third showing in program history.  The Vulcans hold an 11-3-4 regular season record after making their second appearance in the PSAC playoffs since 2008, when they claimed the conference title.  California (Pa.) lost in the semifinals to Millersville.  The Vulcans now turn their attention to third-seeded Shippensburg, who makes its second consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. 

Shippensburg finished the regular season with a 9-5-2 regular season record, missing out on the conference playoffs.  Ship and Cal met in the final game of the regular season with the Vulcans earning a 1-0 decision on their home pitch.  The two teams open up Atlantic Region play on Thursday at 4 p.m.

The Lakers match against Millersville will be covered with live stats and there will also be audio coverage.  For live stats, click here.  For audio coverage, click here.
 
  
Last Season:
The Lakers hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA playoffs last season, welcoming the 2010 PSAC champion, Shippensburg University, West Virginia Wesleyan, and the 2010 WVIAC champion Charleston.  The Lakers fell in the first round to then-ranked No. 14 West Virginia Wesleyan, who went on to win the Atlantic Region.
 
Notes:
Senior Billy Colton is one goal away from tying Mike Blythe's all-time career goals record with 56.

The Lakers beat WVIAC Champion Charleston earlier in the season.

Mercyhurst has shut out four opponents this season, including Shippensburg. 

This is the Lakers 11^th appearance in the NCAA tournament and third consecutive.

 Second-year head coach Dale White seeks his first NCAA playoff win.