W&J MEN’S SOCCER RETURNS TO PAC SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH (11/5)

WASHINGTON, Pa. — After recording a 4-0 victory in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Tournament Semifinals at Westminster College on Wednesday evening, the Washington & Jefferson College men’s soccer team is making its third consecutive appearance in the PAC Championship match and seventh in the last eight seasons.

The Presidents (12-6-1) will take on the top-seeded Thomas More College Saints (16-2-1), who beat Grove City College in Wednesday’s other semifinal match by a score of 3-0, at The Bank of Kentucky Field on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm. The winner of the match will receive the PAC’s automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament.

W&J defeated Thomas More in the 2007 PAC Championship game by a 2-1 margin and qualified for the NCAA Tournament where they were upended by Penn State-Behrend in the opening round.

Since the Saints joined the PAC in 2005, the Presidents have held the edge in the all-time series with an overall record of 7-1-1 against TMC. Thomas More’s lone victory in the series occurred earlier this season as the Saints rolled past the Presidents, 5-1, in the squad’s October 21st regular-season meeting in Washington.

The Red & Black earned their spot in the PAC Championship match after cruising past Westminster on Wednesday night at Harold Burry Stadium. Freshman midfielder Jimmy Gante (York, Pa./Dallastown) scored his first two collegiate goals during the shutout victory, while senior midfielder Dan Hart (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) and junior midfielder Chris Skovira (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) also netted goals.

Hart and junior midfielder Mike Pappas (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) have led the Presidents’ offensive unit this season. Hart leads the team with 22 points (7g, 8a), while Pappas is second with 21 (10g, 1 a). Hart’s eight assists and Pappas’ 10 goals are both tops on the squad.

Skovira and classmate Stephen Bosak (Westerville, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) have also contributed double-digit scoring efforts for W&J this season. Skovira has amassed 14 points (5g, 4a), while Bosak has added six goals.

In goal, the Presidents have been paced by the duo of junior Brandon Kern (Oakdale, Pa./Chartiers Valley) and freshman Simen Myrum (Lillehammer, Norway). Myrum earned the win in the semifinal victory over Westminster and holds a 6-3-1 overall record on the year with two shutouts and 44 saves. He has played 883 minutes and has allowed 13 goals for a goals-against average of 1.32. Kern, who has amassed 46 saves, owns a 6-3 record with three shutouts in 857 minutes of action. Kern has surrendered nine goals (0.95 GAA).

TMC concluded the regular season as the nation’s seventh-leading scoring offense, averaging 3.28 goals per contest. The Saints also finished the season ranked 13th in the nation in Win/Loss Percentage (.861).

The Saints have been paced by Aaron Osborne, the nation’s third leading goal scorer. He averages 1.12 goals per contest. Osborne, who was also fourth in the nation in points (2.53 ppg), netted two goals in TMC’s 3-0 semifinal victory against Grove City on Wednesday afternoon, giving him 47 points (21g, 5a).

Dan Miller and Ricky Barria have also been key contributors to the Saints’ attack with 37 points (13g, 11a) and 23 points (10g, 3a), respectively. Miller’s 11 assists lead the team, while five other players have dished out three or more assists.

TMC goalie Zack Lawson bolstered the defensive unit throughout the regular season, finishing the campaign atop the PAC in GAA (0.72) and shutouts (8). In 1624 minutes of action, Lawson corralled 57 saves and allowed only 13 goals.

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