Oct. 17, 2006

Erie, Pa. - Despite a loss to Northwood this week, the Mercyhurst men's soccer team was ranked No. 4 in the Great Lakes Region in the first ranking of the year by the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer Committee.

The NCAA Division II National Championship is a 32 team single-elimination tournament in which the top four teams in each of the eight regions compete. The Lakers are currently holding off No. 5 Indianapolis and No. 6 Rockhurst for the final bid to the tournament from the Great Lakes Region.

Southern Illinois Edwardsville is the top team in the Great Lakes Region, followed by Northern Kentucky and Wisconsin-Parkside. Mercyhurst lost a hard-fought 1-0 contest to Northern Kentucky and defeated Rockhurst 2-0 earlier this year.

Great Lakes Region Rankings (Overall record, Region record) No. 1 - Southern Illinois Edwardsville (11-3-3, 11-2-1) No. 2 - Northern Kentucky (12-2-2, 10-2-2) No. 3 - Wisconsin-Parkside (11-2-3, 9-2-3) No. 4 - Mercyhurst (13-3, 10-3) No. 5 - Indianapolis (12-6, 12-6) No. 6 - Rockhurst (9-5-3, 8-5-3)