Men’s Soccer Secures Second Seed in CNE Tournament

BEVERLY, Mass. – Suffolk men's soccer has clinched the second seed in the 2024 Conference of New England (CNE) Tournament, the league office announced Tuesday night.  

The second seed is not only the best for the Rams in its CNE tenure, but marks the highest finish by a Suffolk squad in a conference's postseason in program history, upstaging the previous mark of a three seed in the 2009 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship.  

Suffolk secured the No. 2 seed with 20 points on 6-1-2 league ledger. The six conference triumphs are the most by the blue-and-gold in CNE action and the most conference victories since going 6-3-0 in the GNAC in 2016.  

As the second seed, Suffolk avoids first round action, which is scheduled to get underway this Saturday, Nov. 2, and advances into the semifinals that the Rams will host at East Boston Memorial Park's James A. Sartori Stadium on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 7:00 p.m. 

It will be the first time in program history that Suffolk men's soccer will host a conference semifinal. The match will be the Rams' eighth home postseason game overall. The blue-and-gold is 4-2-1 when hosting a league tournament tilt, including a 1-0-1 record in CNE postseason home bouts. 

The Rams have competed in the conference semifinals six times, including the last two seasons. Suffolk is 2-2-1 in league semifinals play and aim to reach the conference championship for the third time overall, second in the CNE and first since 2022.  

Suffolk awaits its semifinal opponent that will be determined on Saturday, Nov. 2 when No.3 Western New England entertains No. 6 Gordon in the First Round.  

The Rams lifted the lid on its 2024 conference calendar against the fighting Scots Sept. 21. The foes battled to a 1-1 stalemate in Wenham, Massachusetts. The regular-season showdown battle between Suffolk and Western New England Oct. 16 ended in a 1-0 triumph for the blue-and-gold thanks to Taj Jensen's game-winner and a six-save shutout by keeper Nathan Harlow.  

Gordon would be a new postseason foe for Suffolk, while the Rams and Golden Bears have history in postseason play. Last year the two faced off in the 2023 conference semis, which was decided in penalty kicks and ended in the Golden Bears favors. Prior to that, Suffolk and WNE played in the 2003 GNAC Quarterfinals, which the Rams lost 4-0.  

On the other side of the bracket, top-seed and regular-season champion Endicott will face the winner of the First Round battle between No. 4 Hartford and No. 5 Roger Williams. 

The CNE Champion will be crowned at the highest remaining seed Saturday, Nov. 9 and earn the league's automatic qualifier into the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship. 

2024 CNE MEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT
First Round - Saturday, Nov. 2
Game 1: No. 5 Roger Williams at No. 4 Hartford - 2:00 p.m.
Game 2: No. 6 Gordon at No. 3 Western New England - 1:00 p.m.

Semifinals - Wednesday, Nov. 6
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 at #1 Endicott - 7:00 p.m.
Game 4: Winner of Game 2 at #2 Suffolk - 7:00 p.m.

Championship - Saturday, Nov. 9
Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 - Hosted by Highest Remaining Seed