DII men’s soccer heads to DII Festival
Just four teams remain in the DII men’s soccer season. The national semifinals are set to kick off from the 2022 DII Festival on Dec. 1 from Seattle, Washington. Let’s get to know each of the remaining final four teams.
We have quite an interesting field. Former national champions — No. 1 Franklin Pierce and Barry — advanced, but we also have a pair of newbies in Lake Erie and CSU Pueblo. Not only that, but Lake Erie was the No. 8 seed in its region… but more on the Storm in a bit.
DII men’s soccer championship: What to know about the final four teams
No. 1 Franklin Pierce
The Ravens have had a sensational year, going 23-0-1. Franklin Pierce defeated DII men’s soccer heavyweights Charleston (WV), ending the Golden Eagles’ bid for a third-straight appearance in the championship match
Franklin Pierce is one of the most experienced teams remaining when it comes to playing on the big stage. This is the fifth trip to the national semifinals in program history, but the first since 2011. The Ravens also have a national championship in 2007 and a national runners-up campaign in 2005 on their resume.
Tale of the tape: The Ravens score 3.54 goals per game, the most of any remaining team, and allow just 0.29 goals against. Braudilio Rodrigues not only led the team but the entire NE10 with 20 goals and 20 assists. His 20 assists lead DII men’s soccer.
No. 2 CSU Pueblo
It was a year of milestones for CSU Pueblo. First, the ThunderWolves improved by three wins in 2022, finishing 18-3-2 (a program record for wins in a season) and in the top 10 of DII men’s soccer, reaching as high as No. 3 — the highest the program ever ranked. That earned them their first-ever home DII tournament game, which the ThunderWolves won to add even more to the program history books. The ThunderWolves entered the tournament ranked third in Super-Region 4 and defeated Northwest Nazarene 1-0 to advance to the program’s first-ever national semifinals.
It was certainly a nice rebound for the Thunderwolves after dropping a heartbreaker in the RMAC finals on penalty kicks. Shjon Andrews could be the X-factor. The RMAC defensemen of the year and All-South Central Region defender anchors the stingy defense to make life easier on keeper Nils Roth.
Tale of the tape: The ThunderWolves outscore their opponents by nearly a goal-and-a-half per game. CSU Pueblo puts in 2.22 goals per game while allowing 0.78. Gabriel Campora leads the team with 15 goals, while Roth was in the top 10 in DII men’s soccer with eight shutouts.
No. 3 Barry
It took a bit longer than expected, but Barry is once again playing for a national championship. The Super-Region 2 title match was delayed at halftime for a week due to weather, and Barry came from behind to tie it and then dominate in PKs to advance. The 12-3-4 Bucs advance to their fourth national semifinals looking for their second national championship since 2018. Here’s a fun little fact: the Barry women’s volleyball team will be joining the men’s soccer team in Seattle trying to bring home a pair of titles .
It will be very interesting to see how the Barry defense holds up against the final four teams, allowing the most goals per game of any team remaining in the field. Having a keeper like Jean Claude Consol in net — who saved three PKs to advance — could be the difference maker.
Tale of the tape: The Bucs can score, putting in 2.32 goals per game, but as mentioned, they do let up a bunch as well — 1.32 per game to be precise. David Polanco leads the team with 10 goals while Consol and Nils Buecheler shared goaltending duties this year, posting a pair of shutouts each.
No. 4 Lake Erie
Lake Erie is certainly the Cinderella of the dance. The Storm heads to the DII Festival with a record of 12-7-5 and was the No. 8 seed in Super-Region 3. After a commanding first-round, 4-0 win, it was one upset after another, including a win over No. 1 Saginaw Valley State and no. 3 Maryville.
After its first quarterfinals in program history, Lake Erie heads to the national semifinals for the first time ever and has a tall order in Franklin Pierce. It should be a very interesting matchup as Lake Erie has proven it can score on anybody. The Storm’s 2.42 goals per game is a top-10 mark in DII, but Franklin Pierce has a top-3 scoring defense. That said, Teddy Baker and Connor Mautino will be a handful for any defense.
Tale of the tape: Lake Erie scores those 2.42 goals per game but allows 1.23 against. Baker and Mautino are two of the most prolific goal scorers in all of DII: Baker’s 17 ranks fifth in DII, while Mautino is right behind at sixth with 16 of his own. Baker is also tied for second in DII with 15 assists.