CAA Men's Soccer Championship Resumes Friday
HARRISONBURG, Va. -- The CAA Men's Soccer Championship resumes on Friday afternoon with the semifinal round of the tournament taking place at James Madison's Sentata Park. The first semifinal match sees the No. 2 seed UNCW taking on third-seeded Hofstra at 4 p.m. ET. At approximately 7 p.m., the No. 1 seed and host James Madison will take on defending CAA champion and fifth-seeded William & Mary.
UNCW (12-4-2) and Hofstra (9-6-4) each own the longest CAA Championship appearances, each making the program's sixth straight tournament. By virture of finishing second in the CAA regular season, UNCW earned a bye into the semifinal round. The Seahawks have been ranked throughout the year, currently sitting at No. 21 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and earning the No. 2 ranking in the Atlantic region.
Hofstra has posted 11 shutouts on the year, including a 1-0 victory over Northeastern in the first round of the CAA Championship. The match will pit the CAA Defensive Player of the Year, Hofstra's Sean Nealis, against the CAA Player of the Year, UNCW's Phillip Goodrum.
In the regular season meeting between the teams, UNCW and Hofstra played to a 0-0 draw in Elon, N.C., shortly after Hurricane Florence rolled through Wilmington, N.C.
James Madison (11-4-2) is the No. 1 seed in the CAA Championship for the second straight year, allowing just nine goals across its 17 matches and earning a bye into the semifinals. Dukes goalkeeper TJ Bush has recorded 10 shutouts on the year, good for fourth nationally. For his work in net, Bush was voted first team all-CAA.
William & Mary (6-9-2) is seeking its third straight appearance in the CAA Championship match. After its 3-2 win over Delaware in the first round of the tournament, the Tribe has won four straight matches in the championship dating back to 2017. Reeves Trott posted a brace in William & Mary’s victory at Delaware.
In the regular season meeting between the teams, Manuel Ferriol converted a penalty kick in the 68th minute to lift James Madison to a 1-0 win at William & Mary.
The semifinal winners will meet at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 11, in the CAA Championship.