Men's Soccer Set to Take on JWU in GNAC Championship Match

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The fourth-seeded University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team looks to continue its historic postseason run, when it faces off with the second-seeded Johnson & Wales University (JWU) Wildcats in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship match Saturday afternoon at JWU. The matchup marks the first time in program history that the Blue Jays take part in the conference title match. Kickoff between the Blue Jays and Wildcats is set for 4:00 p.m. from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletics Complex in Providence, R.I. 
 
#4 USJ BLUE JAYS (12-3-3) at #2 JWU WILDCATS (15-1-3) 
LOCATION: Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex (Providence, R.I.) 
DATE/TIME: Saturday, Nov. 5 (4 p.m.)
WATCH: Live Stream (Link Soon!)
LIVE STATS: Live Stats 
TWITTER: @USJ_BlueJays | #FearTheFlock | #GoBlueJays 
 
USJ QUICK HITS 

• USJ advanced to its first GNAC Championship game after upsetting top-seeded Saint Joseph's College of Maine, 2-0, on the road Wednesday in the GNAC Semifinals.
• Senior Benjamin Marchetti (Higganum, Conn.) gave the Blue Jays the lead late in the second half, before classmate Michael Torres (Hartford, Conn.) put the game to rest with USJ's second goal with just over a minute left in the game.
• The Blue Jays' offense is led by a trio of veterans: Marchetti, senior Dane Stephens (Jamaica), and graduate student DeAnte Anderson (Bloomfield, Conn.).
• Marchetti paces the team with 13 goals and 29 points. Anderson has been equally impressive, boasting 10 goals and six assists for 26 points, while Stephens serves as the team's top playmaker, dishing out eight assists on the season.
• Torres has been a staple in the midfield, starting in 16 of the team's 18 games. The midfielder has scored five goals while dishing out six assists on the year.
• Junior Jose Miguel Garcia Martin (Madrid, Spain) and senior Matthew Goebel (Norton, Mass.) have split time in net for USJ this season.
• Goebel has appeared in seven games, not allowing a goal in the 511:43 he has played between the posts. The senior also boasts five shutouts and 19 saves.
• Garcia Martin has played in 13 games this season, sporting a 8-3-2 record while tallying four shutouts, 47 saves, a .691 save percentage, and a 1.68 goals-against average.
• USJ has reached the GNAC postseason tournament in every season since the program started play in 2018, holding a 4-3 record in postseason play.
• With a victory, it would mark the 10th GNAC Championship for USJ in school history across all sports.

SCOUTING JWU 

• The Wildcats eked its way into the GNAC Championship game after defeating sixth-seeded Emmanuel College, 2-1, in overtime on Wednesday.
• JWU makes a title game appearance for the third time in the past four seasons this Saturday.
• The Wildcats earned the second seed after posting a 10-0-2 record in conference play. 
• JWU is led by the midfield duo of Conner Elliot and Brian Miller.
• Elliot and Miller currently lead the team with 17 points each, as Miller tops the Wildcats with eight goals, while Elliot has posted six goals and five assists.
• Rick Africo is the primary playmaker, pacing JWU with six assists.
• Jacob Friedman leads the Wildcats in net, appearing in all but one of the team's 19 games this season.
• The netminder boasts a 15-1-3 record, keeping eight shutouts and tallying a 0.52 goals-against average and a .836 save percentage.

INSIDE THE SERIES 

• Saturday marks the sixth time that the Blue Jays and Wildcats meet on the pitch. 
• JWU is undefeated versus USJ, owning a 4-0-1 advantage.
• The Wildcats are undefeated in Providence against the Blue Jays, holding a 2-0-1 edge.
• The two sides last met in the playoffs in 2019, when JWU defeated USJ, 3-1, in the GNAC Semifinals.
• Earlier this season, the two teams battled to a 2-2 draw in Providence.

UP NEXT 
With a victory, the Blue Jays would advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Selection show is set for Monday, November 7 at 1:30 p.m.

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