The Ohio Wesleyan University men's soccer team will face Penn State-Harrisburg in a first-round game of the NCAA Division III tournament at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., it was announced by the NCAA on Monday.
In the other first-round game, Mary Washington will host Marymount (Va.) at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The advancing teams will meet in a second-round game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Ohio Wesleyan (10-4-4) won the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament with a 2-1 win over third-ranked Kenyon on Saturday. The Battling Bishops finished second in the NCAC championship race with a 6-0-2 record. Ohio Wesleyan will be making its NCAA-record 43rd Division III playoff appearance and its 49th overall NCAA playoff appearance. The Battling Bishops won the NCAA Division III national championship in 1998 and 2011 and have made 10 appearances in the national semifinals.
Junior goalkeeper Mason Taylor (Marysville) posted a pair of wins in the NCAC tournament and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Taylor is tied for fifth among NCAA Division III players in shutouts (10), is tied for ninth nationally in saves percentage (.882), and ranks 14th nationally in goals-against average (0.545). In the championship game at Kenyon, senior midfielder Mikey Cockerell (Blacklick/Columbus St. Francis DeSales) scored to wipe out a 1-0 deficit and freshman forward Christopher Guerra (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) rang up the game-winning goal and made a key defensive play, blocking a Kenyon header at the goal line in the closing seconds. Guerra leads the Bishops and is tied for third in the NCAC with 9 goals, and shares the league lead with 4 game-winning scores. Junior forward Jaggar Brooker (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) also shares the NCAC lead with 4 game-winners.
Penn State-Harrisburg (10-2-7) won the United East Conference championship, defeating Lancaster Bible, 3-0, in the semifinals and outscoring St. Mary's (Md.) on penalty kicks after a 2-2 tie in the championship game. The Lions finished second in the United East regular-season standings with a 6-0-2 record. Penn State-Harrisburg is making its third NCAA Division III tournament appearance in the last 4 seasons. Ohio Wesleyan and Penn State-Harrisburg have never met on the soccer pitch.
Freshman midfielder Daniel Rossiter scored to wipe out a 1-0 deficit in the championship game, but St. Mary's rebounded from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to send the game into overtime. In penalty kicks, sophomore midfielder Ben Stuckert hit the deciding kick after senior goalkeeper Esteban Leon made a timely stop. Junior forward Kobe Harris leads the Lions with 11 goals on the season. Leon has a goals-against average of 1.39 and 2 shutouts on the season.
Mary Washington (10-4-3) won the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference championship on penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie with Christopher Newport. Mary Washington was ranked No. 18 in the United Soccer Coaches poll dated Nov. 1. The Eagles are making their first NCAA Division III tournament appearance since 2019 and their 13th overall Division III appearance. Mary Washington advanced to the national semifinals in 1997. Ohio Wesleyan and Mary Washington have never met in the NCAA Division III tournament. The teams have played once in men's soccer, with the Battling Bishops winning a 2-0 decision in 2014.
In Sunday's tournament final, senior midfielder Gadsoni Abel scored to give Mary Washington a 1-0 lead with :17 remaining in regulation time, but Christopher Newport tied the game with :02 to go. In the eighth round of penalty kicks, senior midfielder Abel Luwis hit the go-ahead kick and senior goalkeeper Griffin Hemmendinger followed with a save to send the Eagles into the NCAA tournament. Senior forward Josh Kirkland leads Mary Washington with 16 goals this season. Hemmendinger has compiled a goals-against average of 1.39 and 2 shutouts.
Marymount (12-6-1) won the Atlantic East Conference championship on penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie against Neumann. The Knights were tied with Neumann at the top of the Atlantic East standings, each with a 5-1 record. Marymount is making its first-ever NCAA Division III appearance. Ohio Wesleyan and Marymount have never met on the soccer pitch.
Marymount scored the equalizer with 2:53 remaining in regulation time in Saturday's championship game when sophomore midfielder Leonardo Torres converted a penalty kick. The Knights got successful kicks from sophomore defender Jonathan Guevara and senior midfelder Derek Rivera to take the lead in the shootout. Torres leads the Knights with 18 goals on the season. Rivera has set up 10 goals. Freshman goalkeeper Bayron Banegas has a goals-against average of 0.76 and 5 shutouts this season.
The advancing team from Sunday's second-round game will compete in the third round and quarterfinals, scheduled to be played on November 18-19 or 19-20 on the campus of one of the competing institutions.
NCAA championship release
NCAA championship bracket (interactive)
NCAA championship bracket (printable)
