Men’s Soccer CCC Crown Chase Continues in Championship at RWU Saturday

SUFFOLK at ROGER WILLIAMS
Date Time Venue Live Video Live Stats Series Last Meeting   Last Suffolk Win Streak	Saturday, Nov. 5 1:00 PM Bayside Field Bristol, R.I. RWUHawks.com RWUHawks.com 0-3-0 Oct. 1, 2022, L, 1-0 Never L3

BOSTON – The fourth-seeded Suffolk men's soccer team handled business in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Semifinals Wednesday, shutting out nationally-ranked, top-seeded No. 23 Endicott, 2-0, to secure a spot in the conference championship. The Rams hunt continues in the title tilt Saturday, Nov. 5 at second-seed Roger Williams at 1 p.m. at Bayside Field in Bristol, Rhode Island.   

SOCIAL SAYINGS
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2022 CCC MEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Opening Round – Thursday, Oct. 27
#7 Gordon defeated #8 Wentworth, 1-0 – Box Score

Quarterfinals – Saturday, Oct. 29 
#2 Roger Williams defeated #7 Gordon, 3-2 – Box Score
#3 Western New England defeated #6 Nichols, 2-1 – Box Score
#4 Suffolk tied #5 Salve Regina, Suffolk advances with 5-4 penalty shootout – Box Score

Semifinals – Wednesday, Nov. 2 
#4 Suffolk defeated #1 Endicott, 2-0 – Box Score
#2 Roger Williams defeated #3 Western New England, 1-0 – Box Score

Championship – Saturday, Nov. 5
#4 Suffolk at #2 Roger Williams – Live Stats | Live Video

MORE INFO: INTERACTIVE BRACKET | PRINTABLE BRACKET

SUFFOLK IN THE POSTSEASON

• Suffolk is in the midst of its 20th overall, second straight conference postseason appearance. 
• The blue-and-gold will play in its second league final Saturday, first since 2010. 
• Both of Suffolk's conference championship runs have come when the Rams are the fourth seed. 
• Overall, the Rams have hoisted a conference crown once, in 2010, when it captured the GNAC title.
• The Rams moved on from the conference semifinals for the second time in program history, first since 2010.  
• Suffolk is playing as the fourth seed in a conference tournament for the fifth time, first since 2016 and first in the Bill Maddock era. 
• The blue-and-gold is 6-3-1 as the fourth see in a league tournament.
• The Rams are 1-1-1 in the postseason in the Maddock era. 
• Suffolk potted three goals in the CCC Quarterfinals game against Salve Regina Saturday, Oct. 29. The three strikes are the most in the playoffs by the Rams in program history.
• Suffolk has needed extra time to determine a winner in a league postseason game three times. The Rams are 1-1-1 in OT outings in the playoffs. 
• Suffolk went into a PK shootout in the postseason for the first time in program history in the 2022 CCC Quarterfinals versus Salve Regina, Oct. 29, 2022. The Rams won the shootout, 5-4. 
• The Rams blanked top-seeded Endicott in the semis. The shutout marks Suffolk's first postseason cleansheet since it kept Albertus Magnus off the scoreboard in the 2016 GNAC Quarterfinals, Oct. 29, 2016. 
• Overall, 17 of Suffolk's 26 postseason came have come via shutouts. The Rams are 3-14-0 in shutouts in a conference postseason. At home, the Rams are 2-1-0 in postseason shutouts. On the road, Suffolk sports a 1-13-0 postseason cleansheet record. 

RAMS IN THE CCC CROWN CHASE

• The Rams are in the middle of their second straight trip to the CCC Tournament in as many years in the league. 
• Suffolk sports a 1-1- all-time record in the CCC postseason. 
• Suffolk is playing in the CCC tourney as the fourth seed for the first time. 
• Suffolk advanced in the CCC tournament for the first time behind a penalty kick shootout win over Salve Regina in the quarterfinals Saturday, Oct. 29. 
• The blue-and-gold played and won the CCC semifinals for the first time with a 2-0 shutout of top-seeded Endicott, Nov. 2. 
• On the road, Suffolk is 1-1-0 in CCC postseason games. 
• Suffolk will compete in the CCC Championship for the first time. 

LAST TIME OUT
Suffolk men's soccer had it all Wednesday night, stealthy offense, with two goals in a 10-minute span, spread out over each half, unmatched defense and perfect goaltending from Xander Balog to upset the nationally ranked, Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) tournament top-seed, No. 23 Endicott, 2-0, at North Field. The victory sends the Rams to the CCC Championship for the first time in program history. 

MORE READING: Men's Soccer Stuns No. 23 Endicott in CCC Semis, 2-0

SUFFOLK SCORES

RAMS RUNDOWN
Suffolk (10-5-5) rides a four-game unbeaten streak into Saturday's championship contest.   

The Rams offense has been red hot as of late with eight goals over the last four games to bring the yearly total to 38. Although 18 different players havee factored into the scoring this season, five players own double digit points in Brady Sorensen (6g, 3a), Carter Van Buskirk (5g, 4a), Matthew Belluardo (5g), Tommy Handelsman (2g, 6a) and Taj Jensen (3g, 4a). 

Xander Balog has been the backbone of Suffolk's defense that has given up just 18 goals this year. The sophomore keeper holds a 1.19 GAA, .793 save percentage with nine shutouts.

HAVE TO KNOW 'BOUT THE HAWKS
Roger Williams secured the second seed in the CCC Tourney with a 6-2-1 ledger. The Hawks have handled matters in the playoffs to sit 13-3-4 on the year.  

RWU's 31-goal offense has been powered by Javi Beltran, who holds 29 points on 11 goals and seven assists. Justin Horvath is the only other player to surpass double-digit points with four markers and three handouts. 

In net, Jack Avellar has seen the most time with 12 games played, all starts. He holds a 1.08 GAA and .812 save percentage with seven cleansheets. Hogan Cain (1.12 GAA, .750 save percentage) and John Padavano (0.56 GAA and .833 save percentage) have defended the cage for the Hawks this season on seven occasions and three outings, respectively.  

WE MEET AGAIN
A goal just under two minutes into the contest proved to be the difference for Roger Williams to end Suffolk men's win streak and take down the Rams in Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) action, 1-0, Saturday, Oct. 1 at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park. 

MORE READING: Roger Williams Slips by Men's Soccer, 1-0

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk has yet to find the win column against Roger Williams. 
• The Rams are 0-3-0 all-time against the Hawks in a series that started in 1990 and was renewed a year ago. 
• In the regular-season, the Rams were shutout by RWU, 1-0, Oct. 1, 2022. 
• The Rams have yet to find the back of the net against the Hawks all-time. 
• The last two meetings between Suffolk and Roger Williams have been 1-0 decisions. 
• Suffolk will battle the Hawks in Bristol for the third time in program history, first since Oct. 26, 2021, a 1-0 overtime decision. 
• There has been one overtime decision in the all-time series, Oct. 26, 2021. Roger Williams won that meeting, 1-0. 
• The Rams and Hawks will tangle in the postseason for the first time. 

EYES ON THE GAME

WHAT'S NEXT?
The winner of Saturday's championship showdown will earn the league's automatic bid to the 2022 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship. The NCAA bracket will be released Monday, Nov. 6 on NCAA.com at approximately 1:30 p.m.