mens soccer 2012 NCAA Tournament

All-CAA forward Fabio Machado and Drexel men's soccer will host Brown in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

Drexel’s men’s soccer team will be making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1972 this Thursday when it hosts Brown in a first-round game at Vidas Field at 4 p.m. Drexel earned the at-large bid after winning the regular season Colonial Athletic Association championship and posting a 12-3-3 record on the season.
After falling to Hofstra in penalty kicks in the semifinal of the CAA Tournament, the Dragons postseason fate was put in the hands of the tournament selection committee. A night 40 years in the making had to wait a few extra minutes as Drexel was the final at-large team to be announced during the NCAA’s selection show on Monday night.

The Dragons enter the NCAA Tournament unbeaten in their last eight contests. Drexel went 6-0-2 during that stretch, earning five shutout victories in the process. The Dragons boast the 28th-ranked scoring defense in the nation, allowing just 0.84 goals per game. That defense is anchored by senior goalkeeper Tim Washam, who ranks 13^th in the nation in fewest goals allowed per game.

On the offensive side, Drexel has outscored its opponents 11-3 over the last eight matches. First Team All-CAA midfielder Nathan Page leads the team with nine goals and an assist on the season.

The Dragons have never played Brown, which finished the season 12-2-3 and placed third in the Ivy League. The Bears have made the NCAA Tournament in seven of the past eight seasons. Brown lost its last game of the regular season 2-1 at Dartmouth on November 9, following up a 1-1 draw against Yale on November 3.

If the Dragons win they will advance to play the No. 2 seed Maryland Terrapins on Sunday. To view the full NCAA Tournament bracket visit: http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/soccer-men/d1