Thursday, November 15
USAFA, CO
6:00 p.m. MT
Air Force Academy
vs
University of Central Arkansas
NCAA Tournament Round One: Central Ark. at Air Force
11/13/2018 6:20:00 PM | Men's Soccer
GET TICKETSWATCH LIVELIVE STATSNCAA TOURNAMENT CENTRALCENTRAL ARKANSAS MEN'S SOCCERWEEKLY RELEASE (PDF)NCAA DIV. I MEN'S SOCCER BRACKET (PDF)
Air Force men’s soccer opens national tournament action against Central Arkansas, Thursday evening, at 6 p.m.
THIS WEEK: Air Force has been selected to make its second-straight NCAA tournament appearance, announced Monday morning, on the NCAA's Selection Show. The Falcons (15-4, 8-2 WAC) will host the Bears of Central Arkansas (8-5-4, 4-1-1 MVC), Thursday, Nov. 15, at 6:00 p.m. MT. The opportunity to host an NCAA match marks Air Force's second time in program history.
ON THE MAP: Despite a loss in the WAC Tournament, the Falcons remain a top-25 team heading into the NCAA Tournament. Air Force is ranked 20th in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 and 17th in the College Soccer News Top 30.
The United Soccer Coaches switched up the regional ranking system for 2018 and the WAC is now in the Far West Region with the Pac-12 and Big West conferences. Air Force dropped one spot to third in the regional rankings while Grand Canyon moved into the rankings at sixth. The Falcons moved up to 26thin the RPI rankings, two spots higher than last week.
AIR FORCE AT A GLANCE: The Falcons are playing high-level soccer worthy of discussion among the nation's top teams. Air Force has scored nearly four times as many goals as opponents faced (48-14). The Falcons' 48 goals is the third-most in the nation. Air Force's exceptional offense spreads the ball so well that the Falcons' have recorded more than five-times as many assists as opponents faced (40-7), while 13 Falcons have registered a goal this season-- six players have recorded two or more goals and four have recorded four or more. Air Force's 136 points is the second-most in the nation heading into the national tournament. With an offense that scores 2.53 goals per game, the Falcons have the third-best scoring offense in the NCAA.
Air Force has taken far more shots than opponents were allowed (300-186), and more than double all opponents' shots on goal (144-68). The Falcons 7.58 shots on goal per game is the second best in the WAC and fourth-most in the nation. Air Force has taken five or more shots on goal in 18 of 19 matches played. The Falcons' stingy defense has yielded seven shutouts this season while holding all but two opponents to five or less shots on goal for the match, most recently holding WAC champions Grand Canyon to only two shots on goal in the semi-finals match.
Individually, Bone leads the squad with 30 points from 12 goals and six assists, a mark that ranks him second in the conference and 14th-most goals in the nation. He is second the conference in points, a mark that puts him at 10th-most points in the nation. Bone has also notched five game-winning goals this season, making him first in the conference and 10th in the nation in total game-winners. Dewing has put up impressive numbers as well, recording 11 goals, a mark that puts him third in WAC goal-scoring and 26th-most in the country. Senior teammate Luis Martinez leads the team with seven assists.
In goal, Andrea Seazzu is proving to be one of the top keepers in the country with a 0.700 goals against average; a mark that puts him atop the conference and 14th-best in the NCAA. He has the second-best save-percentage in the WAC and 30th-best in the country (0.800).
Seazzu's relatively low save-count (52) can likely be attributed to Air Force's suffocating style of defense that allows opponents just a few opportunities on frame per game, most recently holding San Jose State to zero shots on goal for the entire match. Seazzu recorded a career-high eight saves against GCU on Oct. 28.
A LOOK AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS: The Bears earned the Missouri Valley Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after a thrilling MVC Tournament run that saw them outlast Missouri State with a 5-4 win on penalty kicks, before a 2-1 decision over Loyola saw UCA defend its MVC Tournament Title and become the first team to earn back-to-back Tournament wins since Creighton in 2011-12. Air Force and Central Arkansas met once before in Conway, Arkansas, where the Falcons fell, 0-1, in 2007.
The Bears are led by junior forward, Niklas Brodacki, who leads the team with nine goals and 46 shots on the season. Nine Bears have scored 27 goals for Central Arkansas on the season, while the Bears' defense has allowed opponents 21 goals. Central Arkansas' goalkeeper, Marc Olsen, holds a 1.24 goals against average and a .705 save percentage. He has logged five shutouts on the season.
The Bears and Falcons have two common opponents; UTRGV and Incarnate word, both of which Air Force beat. Central Arkansas fell to the Vaqueros, 1-2, and tied the Cardinals at two.
UP NEXT: The winner of Thursday's contest will travel to Denver, Colorado, to take on the 15th-seeded University of Denver Pioneers, Sunday, Nov. 18. Tickets are available for purchase on Denver's athletic website, DenverPioneers.com.
LAST TIME AT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: After a hard fought battle on a cold and windy Thompson field, Air Force came up short of a comeback against Virginia Tech, falling two-nil, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Falcons concluded their record-breaking season at 14-3-3.
LAST WEEKEND: Air Force was unable to match Grand Canyon's seventh-minute goal, falling one-nil, in the Western Athletic Conference tournament semi-finals. Grand Canyon, who went on to win the tournament and an automatic playoff berth, was the first to strike with early goal as an Air Force defenseman was tackled in the box, leaving a gap in the defense where GCU forward Marco Alfonso snuck through and capitalized on the 1-v-1 with Andrea Seazzu.
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: The Western Athletic Conference has announced its All-WAC men's soccer teams and major awards as selected by the league's 12 head coaches. Air Force's Tucker Bone was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year while teammate Andrea Seazzu was named WAC Defensive Player of the Year. Eight other Falcons also received honors on the night.
Bone, a senior midfielder from Granite Bay, Calif., was second in the WAC with eight goals and 18 points in conference play. Overall, he was also second in points with 30 and third in goals scored with 12. His five game winning goals this season are the WAC best. His 24 career goals are tied for seventh in WAC men's soccer history and his 22 career assists rank four in the WAC record book.
Seazzu, a junior goalkeeper from Albuquerque, N.M., led the WAC with a 0.73 goals against average in conference play and a 0.68 goals against average overall. He was second the league in least goals allowed in WAC play with seven and was tops overall with just 12. The cadet finished the regular season with five shutouts, also combining on two others.
ON THE MAP: Despite a loss in the WAC Tournament, the Falcons remain a top-25 team heading into the NCAA Tournament. Air Force is ranked 20th in the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 and 17th in the College Soccer News Top 30.
The United Soccer Coaches switched up the regional ranking system for 2018 and the WAC is now in the Far West Region with the Pac-12 and Big West conferences. Air Force dropped one spot to third in the regional rankings while Grand Canyon moved into the rankings at sixth. The Falcons moved up to 26thin the RPI rankings, two spots higher than last week.
AIR FORCE AT A GLANCE: The Falcons are playing high-level soccer worthy of discussion among the nation's top teams. Air Force has scored nearly four times as many goals as opponents faced (48-14). The Falcons' 48 goals is the third-most in the nation. Air Force's exceptional offense spreads the ball so well that the Falcons' have recorded more than five-times as many assists as opponents faced (40-7), while 13 Falcons have registered a goal this season-- six players have recorded two or more goals and four have recorded four or more. Air Force's 136 points is the second-most in the nation heading into the national tournament. With an offense that scores 2.53 goals per game, the Falcons have the third-best scoring offense in the NCAA.
Air Force has taken far more shots than opponents were allowed (300-186), and more than double all opponents' shots on goal (144-68). The Falcons 7.58 shots on goal per game is the second best in the WAC and fourth-most in the nation. Air Force has taken five or more shots on goal in 18 of 19 matches played. The Falcons' stingy defense has yielded seven shutouts this season while holding all but two opponents to five or less shots on goal for the match, most recently holding WAC champions Grand Canyon to only two shots on goal in the semi-finals match.
Individually, Bone leads the squad with 30 points from 12 goals and six assists, a mark that ranks him second in the conference and 14th-most goals in the nation. He is second the conference in points, a mark that puts him at 10th-most points in the nation. Bone has also notched five game-winning goals this season, making him first in the conference and 10th in the nation in total game-winners. Dewing has put up impressive numbers as well, recording 11 goals, a mark that puts him third in WAC goal-scoring and 26th-most in the country. Senior teammate Luis Martinez leads the team with seven assists.
In goal, Andrea Seazzu is proving to be one of the top keepers in the country with a 0.700 goals against average; a mark that puts him atop the conference and 14th-best in the NCAA. He has the second-best save-percentage in the WAC and 30th-best in the country (0.800).
Seazzu's relatively low save-count (52) can likely be attributed to Air Force's suffocating style of defense that allows opponents just a few opportunities on frame per game, most recently holding San Jose State to zero shots on goal for the entire match. Seazzu recorded a career-high eight saves against GCU on Oct. 28.
A LOOK AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS: The Bears earned the Missouri Valley Conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after a thrilling MVC Tournament run that saw them outlast Missouri State with a 5-4 win on penalty kicks, before a 2-1 decision over Loyola saw UCA defend its MVC Tournament Title and become the first team to earn back-to-back Tournament wins since Creighton in 2011-12. Air Force and Central Arkansas met once before in Conway, Arkansas, where the Falcons fell, 0-1, in 2007.
The Bears are led by junior forward, Niklas Brodacki, who leads the team with nine goals and 46 shots on the season. Nine Bears have scored 27 goals for Central Arkansas on the season, while the Bears' defense has allowed opponents 21 goals. Central Arkansas' goalkeeper, Marc Olsen, holds a 1.24 goals against average and a .705 save percentage. He has logged five shutouts on the season.
The Bears and Falcons have two common opponents; UTRGV and Incarnate word, both of which Air Force beat. Central Arkansas fell to the Vaqueros, 1-2, and tied the Cardinals at two.
UP NEXT: The winner of Thursday's contest will travel to Denver, Colorado, to take on the 15th-seeded University of Denver Pioneers, Sunday, Nov. 18. Tickets are available for purchase on Denver's athletic website, DenverPioneers.com.
LAST TIME AT THE NCAA TOURNAMENT: After a hard fought battle on a cold and windy Thompson field, Air Force came up short of a comeback against Virginia Tech, falling two-nil, in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Falcons concluded their record-breaking season at 14-3-3.
LAST WEEKEND: Air Force was unable to match Grand Canyon's seventh-minute goal, falling one-nil, in the Western Athletic Conference tournament semi-finals. Grand Canyon, who went on to win the tournament and an automatic playoff berth, was the first to strike with early goal as an Air Force defenseman was tackled in the box, leaving a gap in the defense where GCU forward Marco Alfonso snuck through and capitalized on the 1-v-1 with Andrea Seazzu.
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: The Western Athletic Conference has announced its All-WAC men's soccer teams and major awards as selected by the league's 12 head coaches. Air Force's Tucker Bone was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year while teammate Andrea Seazzu was named WAC Defensive Player of the Year. Eight other Falcons also received honors on the night.
Bone, a senior midfielder from Granite Bay, Calif., was second in the WAC with eight goals and 18 points in conference play. Overall, he was also second in points with 30 and third in goals scored with 12. His five game winning goals this season are the WAC best. His 24 career goals are tied for seventh in WAC men's soccer history and his 22 career assists rank four in the WAC record book.
Seazzu, a junior goalkeeper from Albuquerque, N.M., led the WAC with a 0.73 goals against average in conference play and a 0.68 goals against average overall. He was second the league in least goals allowed in WAC play with seven and was tops overall with just 12. The cadet finished the regular season with five shutouts, also combining on two others.
Players Mentioned
Midfielder
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