Connecticut Region Men's Soccer 3rd Round Breakdowns
Akron is looking to take the championship crown this year but must take on Creighton who is striving for the same crown. These teams have a score to settle as well. They met early in the regular season and a winner was never achieved after the game ended in a tie. These powerhouses have dominated the league for the past few years and want to settle who has the better program once and for all. These two teams have met three times in the past several years, including the tie this past season. The 2011 season was an exhibition match that also ended with a tie and in 2010 they met in the regular season with Akron,the 2010 champs, taking the win, but they have never met in the NCAA tournament. Creighton brings a very potent and accurate offense to the pitch and has tallied an impressive 37 goals, but Akron’s defense has only allowed seven goals this season. This will be a strong offense facing off against a dominating defense for the chance to move on to the quarterfinals.
#13 New Mexico vs. #4 Connecticut
New Mexico hasn’t seen the likes of a team comparable to UConn all regular season. Even Virginia, who the Lobos defeated in the second round, can’t truly compare to the Huskies. However, New Mexico’s offense has ranked as one of the top scoring teams in the league with 52 goals, averaging 2.6 a game. UConn’s offense hasn’t done too bad for themselves either but their defense is what has shined this season. The defense stands at the number six spot on shutout percentage but is only just above New Mexico, who is number seven. These two teams are made to meet. Both programs are in excellent shape to take on any competitors throughout the tournament and the mentality is there as well. The skill set that these teams bring to the pitch is unmatched by the majority of the teams in the league, including half the teams in the tournament.
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