No. 1 Men's Soccer Set to Host No. 2 Rivier in GNAC Championship Game Saturday

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — The top-seeded University of Saint Joseph (USJ) men's soccer team will vie for the program's second-consecutive — and third overall — Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) title when it hosts second-seeded Rivier University in the GNAC Championship game Saturday afternoon in West Hartford, Conn. Kickoff against the Raiders is set for 1:00 p.m. at the USJ Soccer Field.
 
#1 USJ BLUE JAYS (12-4-2, 9-1-2 GNAC) vs. #2 RIVIER RAIDERS (9-4-7, 8-2-2 GNAC)
LOCATION: USJ Soccer Field (West Hartford, Conn.)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, Nov. 8 (1 p.m.)
WATCH: Live Stream
LIVE STATS: Live Stats
SOCIAL MEDIA: @USJBlueJays | #FearTheFlock | #GoBlueJays | #D3soc
 
USJ QUICK HITS

• USJ earned the No. 1 seed in the GNAC playoffs for the second consecutive season after finishing 9-1-2 in conference play.

• The Blue Jays secured their second straight trip to the GNAC title match after defeating eighth-seeded Albertus Magnus in the GNAC Quarterfinals (1-0) and fourth-seeded Saint Joseph's College of Maine in the GNAC Semifinals (3-0).

• Sophomore midfielder Mario Milardo (Middletown, Conn.) leads the offense with a team-high 26 points on 10 goals and six assists. He currently ranks tied for third in the GNAC in all three scoring categories.

• Senior forward Emmanuel Ofori (East Hartford, Conn.) continues a strong campaign with 23 points on nine goals and five assists.

• Sophomore midfielder Nico Hamzavi (West Hartford, Conn.) has put together an impressive season, recording 13 points on four goals and five assists.

• Senior defender Nicholas Simpson anchors a backline that has posted seven clean sheets this season.

• Sophomore goalkeeper Will Slayton (Manchester, Conn.) leads the goalkeeping unit with an 11-2-2 record, 60 saves, an .811 save percentage, and a 1.00 GAA. He ranks third in the GNAC in save percentage, GAA, and goals allowed (14).

• USJ has reached the GNAC playoffs every season since the program began in 2018, holding a 10-4 postseason record and winning conference titles in 2022 and 2024.

• The Blue Jays are making their third appearance in the championship game and are a perfect 2-0 all-time in GNAC finals.

• USJ brings a 19-match home unbeaten streak into Saturday's contest.

SCOUTING RIVIER

• Rivier earned the No. 2 seed after finishing 8-2-2 in GNAC play.

• The Raiders booked their place in the GNAC Championship following a victory in penalty kicks over seventh-seeded Emmanuel in the GNAC Quarterfinals and a 1-0 win against sixth-seeded Norwich in the GNAC Semifinals.

• The offense is led by sophomore midfielder Alejandro Quezada and freshman Tanner Keenan, who have each scored six goals. Quezada has added three assists, while Keenan has contributed two.

• Freshman Vincent Arsenov leads the team with five assists.

• Junior goalkeeper Logan Clough anchors the defense with a 9-3-5 record, 65 saves, an .813 save percentage, and a 0.87 GAA.

• The Raiders are making their third appearance in the GNAC Championship and their first since 1997. Rivier won its lone GNAC title in 1997 after finishing runner-up in 1996.

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Saturday marks the eighth meeting between USJ and Rivier.

• USJ leads the all-time series with a 5-0-2 record.

• This will be the first postseason matchup between the programs.

• The Blue Jays are 3-0-1 against Rivier in West Hartford.

• The teams played to a 2-2 draw earlier this season at the USJ Soccer Field.

UP NEXT

With a victory, USJ would clinch its second straight trip — and third in program history — to the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament. The Blue Jays would learn their destination during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday, November 10, at 11:30 a.m. on NCAA.com.

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