No. 14 Richard Bland Plays Cape Fear (N.C.) In Semifinal On Saturday
NJCAA Region 10 Tournament Bracket (PDF)
SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, Va. -- Richard Bland College, the No. 1 seed for the 2017 NJCAA Region 10 Men's Soccer Tournament, will play No. 4 seed Cape Fear (N.C.) Community College in a tournament semifinal contest on Saturday morning, October 28, at 9 a.m. at Spartanburg High School in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Statesmen have an overall record of 16-1, and are ranked No. 14 in this week's NJCAA Division II Poll. The Sea Devils have an overall record of 9-6-1. The winner advances to the region's championship contest on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 12 p.m. in South Carolina against either No. 2 seed Louisburg (N.C.) College or No. 3 seed and tournament host Spartanburg Methodist College.
GAME INFORMATION
Richard Bland vs. Cape Fear
Date: Saturday, October 28, 2017
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Spartanburg (S.C.) High School
Series History: 7-4
Scouting the Statesmen
Nationally-ranked No. 14 Richard Bland posted its school-record 16th win during a 3-0 home victory past Cape Fear on Oct. 18. The Statesmen, enjoying their highest-ever national ranking, have now been ranked among the Top 20 in the NJCAA Division I Men's Soccer Poll during seven-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 (43-29-5).
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 nine assists for 29 points, followed by sophomores Dusan Stankovic/Belgrade, Serbia with 11 goals (three game-winners) and two assists for 24 points and Hussein Osman/Charlottesville with eight goals and seven assists for 23 points. Sophomore keeper Tomás Fonseca/Torres Vedras, Portugal has started 16 matches and played 1361 minutes in front of the net with eight shutouts, an impressive 0.60 goals against average (only nine goals allowed) and 41 saves for a save percentage of .820 percent.
Among the National Leaders
Richard Bland ranks sixth in NJCAA Division I goals against average (0.64, 10 goals allowed), 15th in points (183), tied for 15th in assists (57) and tied for 17th in goals (63). Tomás Fonseca is tied for third nationally in shutouts (8), 10th in goals against average (0.60), 19th in minutes (1361), 21st in save percentage (.820) and tied for 24th in goals allowed (9). Davi Girardi is tied for seventh nationally in game-winning goals (6) and tied for 45th in goals (13). Uziel Hernandez is tied for 27th nationally in game-winning goals (4) and tied for 47th in assists (7).
Series History
Richard Bland and Cape Fear are meeting for the 12th time in the sport of men's soccer, and the Statesmen lead the all-time series, 7-4, including seven-straight wins against the Sea Devils. Richard Bland defeated Cape Fear two times earlier this season by scores of 1-0 on September 12 in North Carolina and 3-0 on Oct. 18 in Virginia.
Richard Bland split its season series against Louisburg, falling 2-1 in overtime on Sept. 26 at home, before avenging that narrow setback with a 5-3 road win against the Hurricanes on Oct. 4. Richard Bland swept Spartanburg Methodist by scores of 5-0 on Sept. 9 at home, and 1-0 in double-overtime on Sept. 30 on the road.
2016 NJCAA Region 10 Tournament Champions
Richard Bland is the defending Region 10 Tournament Champions after completing 2016 with what was at the time … 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 10 Tournament Championship and advancing to the NJCAA Division I Southeast District Tournament semifinals in Daytona Beach, Florida.
2017 Region 10 Tournament Semifinals, Saturday, Oct. 28 at Spartanburg (S.C.) High School
9 a.m. | No. 1 Richard Bland (16-1) vs. No. 4 Cape Fear (9-6-1)
11 a.m. | No. 2 Louisburg (12-5) vs. No. 3 Spartanburg Methodist (12-5-2)
2017 Region 10 Tournament Championship, Sunday, Oct. 29, 12 p.m. at Spartanburg (S.C.) High School
Up Next
If Richard Bland advances to the Region 10 Tournament Championship, the Statesmen qualify for the NJCAA Division I Southeast District Tournament on November 3-4. If Richard Bland wins the Region 10 title, the Statesmen will host the Southeast District tourney on Nov. 3-4 at the Statesman Soccer Field. Region 10 is hosting this year's District event, as the tournament winner will host and the runners-up advance, as well, along with one school from Region 8 (Florida) and one school from Region 17 (Georgia).