UAlbany Men's Soccer Enters Six-Team America East Conference Tournament as Second Seed and A 1st Round Bye

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Riding a seven-match unbeaten streak, the University at Albany men’s soccer team will enter the America East Conference Championship as the second seed. The Great Danes have racked up 12 victories this season, which equals the program’s highest win total as an NCAA Division I program. UAlbany matched its highest seeding for the conference tournament, as the team also received the second seed in 2004.

The higher seed will host each match in the six-team tournament, which begins on Saturday, Nov. 8 with a pair of quarterfinal matches. Fourth-seeded Vermont, the reigning tournament champion, hosts fifth-seeded Hartford in the first quarterfinal at 1 p.m., and third-seeded Binghamton will entertain sixth-seeded New Hampshire at 7 p.m.

UAlbany (12-3-2, AE 5-1-2) will host a semifinal match on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. against the winner of Saturday’s battle between third-seeded Binghamton, the last team to defeat the Great Danes on Oct. 8, and sixth-seeded New Hampshire. Top seed Boston University, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament as an at-large selection last season, will host the other semifinal on the same day at 7 p.m. against the Vermont/Hartford winner. The championship match will be played at the site of the highest remaining seed on either Nov. 15 or 16 at a time to be determined.

The winner of the conference championship will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, while the other contending teams will be eligible for an at-large selection. Last year, America East was one of 12 leagues that placed at least two teams in the NCAA field.

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2008 America East Conference Men’s Soccer Championship

Saturday, Nov. 8 – Quarterfinals (at higher seeds)

No. 5 Hartford at No. 4 Vermont, 1 p.m.

No. 6 New Hampshire at No. 3 Binghamton, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 12 – Semifinals (at higher seeds)

Binghamton/New Hampshire winner at No. 2 UAlbany, 1 p.m.

Vermont/Hartford winner at No. 1 Boston University, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 15 or Sunday, Nov. 16 (at highest seed remaining)

Semifinal winners, TBD