Women's Soccer Receives At-Large Bid To 2014 NCAA Division II Championship Tournament

Indianapolis, Indiana –The University of Bridgeport women's soccer team, under the direction of sixteenth-year head coach Magnus Nilerud, will face the Philadelphia University Rams at Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York in the first round of the 2014 NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship Tournament on Friday, November 14.  The Purple Knights, who received an at-large bid to this season's NCAA Championship, are the number three seed in the East Region, and Philadelphia, the 2014 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Champion, is the number six seed.  Friday's winner will face Mercy College, the number two seed in the East and 2014 East Coast Conference Champion having defeated the Purple Knights, 1-0, on Friday, on the Mavericks' home field on Sunday, November 16. Bridgeport enters Friday's action at 13-4-2 overall, and the Rams are 14-6-1 overall.  UB and Philly U. met earlier this season in Bridgeport on October 27, and the Purple Knights defeated the Rams, 3-0.  Mercy comes in to the 2014 NCAA Championship with a 16-2-1 overall mark.

This year's NCAA trip is Bridgeport's seventh in the last eight seasons, as UB made five consecutive NCAA appearances from 2007 through 2011 and returned to NCAA competition last season.

Last year, UB defeated Caldwell, 1-0, in the first round of the NCAA Championship and fell to eventual Final Four team, American International, 2-0, in the second round.

In 2011, Bridgeport played UMass Lowell to a 1-1 tie in the second round but did not advance after a penalty kick shootout.  The Purple Knights received a first round bye three seasons ago.

In 2010, UB advanced to the second round defeating Franklin Pierce in round one, 3-1, and losing to the College of St. Rose, 1-0, on the Golden Knights' home field.  In 2009, Bridgeport fell to Franklin Pierce, 4-1, in the second round after receiving a first round bye. In 2008, the Purple Knights moved into the Round of 16 posting wins over Merrimack (1-0) and C.W. Post (1-0), before falling to the College of St. Rose, 3-1.  2007, UB made its first-ever NCAA Championship appearance and did not advance to the second round on penalty kicks versus Dowling. 

The other side of the East Region bracket will be hosted by number one seed, the College of St. Rose. The Golden Knights are 18-1-2 so far in 2014, and they will host, on Sunday, the winner of Friday's match between number four seed Assumption College (15-4-1) and number five seed, LIU Post (14-2-1).

2014 NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP

EAST REGIONAL

FIRST AND SECOND ROUNDS HOSTED BY MERCY COLLEGE-DOBBS FERRY, N.Y.

First Round-Friday, November 14, 2013

1:00 p.m.-Philadelphia U. (14-6-1) vs. Bridgeport (13-4-2)

Second Round-Sunday, November 16, 2013

1:00 p.m.-Philadelphia/Bridgeport winner vs. Mercy College (16-2-1)

CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE 2014 NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

MERCY COLLEGE REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL