Oct. 29, 2007

LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall College will host the 2007 Centennial Conference (CC) men's soccer championship tournament this weekend.

The top-seeded Diplomats (15-2, 7-2 CC), currently ranked 12th in the NSCAA Division III poll, will face the winner of No. 4 Gettysburg (11-6, 6-3 CC) and No. 5 Dickinson (13-2-2, 5-2-2 CC) in the first of the two semifinals on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. Second-seeded and 20th-ranked Johns Hopkins (15-3, 7-2 CC) faces No. 3 Muhlenberg (12-3, 7-2 CC) in the other semifinal at 1:35 p.m.

The winners of the semifinal games will meet in the championship match, slated for Sunday at 1 p.m.

The tournament's champion will earn the CC's automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Division III tournament, with first-round action scheduled for Nov. 7. The field will be announced early Monday.

F&M is seeking its first-ever CC crown and consecutive berth into the NCAA tournament. In the regular season, the Diplomats posted a 3-1 record against the field. F&M defeated the Bullets, Blue Jays and Mules, but fell to the Red Devils 2-0 on Saturday.

Ryan McGonigle leads the team with 13 goals and six assists for 32 points, while Brandon Corday has 10 goals and four helpers, putting him one assist away from breaking the school record of 23.

The Blue Jays are making their seventh straight appearance in the conference tournament and is going for their seventh CC title. Last year, Hopkins defeated the Diplomats 2-1 in overtime in the conference championship match. In the regular-season meeting between the Blue Jays and the Mules, Hopkins tallied a 2-1 victory in Allentown, Pa. Freshman Scott Bukoski paces the conference and team with 17 goals on the season.

Muhlenberg is battling for its sixth conference title this weekend. The Mules have advanced to the CC tournament ever year, earning their last CC championship in 2005. Senior midfielder Jonathan Kliewer and senior goalie Peter Bennett are two local products who return home to help Muhlenberg contend for the CC crown.

Gettysburg is searching for its fourth overall title and first under head coach Devin O'Neill. The Bullets won the CC championship in 1993, 1999 and 2001. This year marks the third straight appearance in the conference tournament for Gettysburg. The Bullets and Dickinson are meeting for the second time in 12 days. Gettysburg tallied a 6-0 decision over the Red Devils during the regular season. Chris Bayon leads the team with 11 goals and two assists.

Dickinson is looking to avenge that 6-0 loss to the Bullets on Wednesday night in the first-round game in Gettysburg, Pa. With a win, the Red Devils keep their hopes alive for its first CC title. Dickinson is led by Thomas Parkinson with nine goals.