No. 15 Richard Bland Hosting No. 19 Harcum Monday In Top 20 Battle
SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, Va. -- No. 15 Richard Bland College welcomes No. 19 Harcum (Pa.) College for a non-region battle of NJCAA Division I Top 20 men's soccer teams on Monday afternoon, October 16, at 2 p.m. at the Statesman Soccer Field. The nationally-ranked Statesmen have a record of 14-1, while the visiting and nationally-ranked Bears have a record of 8-3-1. Richard Bland is enjoying its finest season in the five-year history of the program and has already established a school record for season wins (14).
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Richard Bland vs. Harcum
Date: Monday, October 16, 2017
Time: 2 p.m.
Live Stats: rbcathletics.com
Location: Statesman Soccer Field
Series History: 1-2
Scouting the Statesmen
Richard Bland increased its school-record win total to 14 with a 4-1 road victory at Region X opponent Wake Technical (N.C.) Community College on Oct. 13. The Statesmen, enjoying their highest-ever national ranking at No. 15, have now been ranked among the Top 20 in the NJCAA Division I Men's Soccer Poll during five-straight weeks. Richard Bland is coached by fourth-year head coach Eduardo de Souza, and assisted by second-year assistant coach Nick Surkamp. The Statesmen have attained three consecutive 10-win seasons under the guidance of de Souza (41-29-5).
Richard Bland is led in scoring by freshman Davi Girardi/São Paulo, Brazil with 13 goals, including six game-winners, and six assists totaling 32 points. Freshman Uziel Hernandez/The Villages, Florida adds 10 goals (four game-winners) and eight assists for 28 points, followed by sophomores Hussein Osman/Charlottesville (eight goals, six assists) and Dusan Stankovic/Belgrade, Serbia (10 goals, two assists) each with 22 points. Sophomore keeper Tomás Fonseca/Torres Vedras, Portugal has started 14 matches and played 1181 minutes in front of the net with six shutouts, an impressive 0.69 goals against average (only nine goals allowed) and 36 saves for a save percentage of .800 percent.
Among the National Leaders
Richard Bland ranks fifth in NJCAA Division I goals against average (0.72, 11 goals allowed), is tied for eighth in goals (59), is ninth in points (171) and tied for 10th assists (53). Tomás Fonseca is tied for fifth nationally in shutouts (6), is 10th in goals against average (0.69), tied for 29th in goals allowed (9) and tied for 36th in save percentage (.800). Davi Girardi is tied for fifth nationally in game-winning goals (6), and tied for 33rd in goals (13) and points (32). Uziel Hernandez is tied for 19th nationally in game-winning goals (4), tied for 43rd in assists (8) and tied for 47th in points (28).
Series History
Richard Bland and Harcum are meeting for the fourth time in the sport of men's soccer, and the Bears lead the all-time series, 2-1. The Statesmen, however, won the most-recent meeting last season at home (2-0, September 28, 2016).
2016 NJCAA Region X Tournament Champions
Richard Bland completed 2016 with the finest season in the four-year history of the program, posting a final overall record of 12-7-2, including its first-ever Region X Tournament Championship and advancing to the NJCAA Division I Southeast District Tournament semifinals in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Up Next
Richard Bland will remain at home to play Region X member Cape Fear (N.C.) Community College in the regular season finale on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 4 p.m. at the Statesman Soccer Field. The re-scheduled match (from Oct. 10) against the Sea Devils is designated as Sophomore Day for the eight Statesmen completing their eligibility. Richard Bland will host a Region X Tournament first-round match against an opponent to be determined on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 3 p.m. at the Statesman Soccer Field.