Men’s Soccer’s Closes Regular Season at Dean Tuesday

BOSTON – With the fourth seed in the GNAC tournament already clinched, the Suffolk men's soccer team uses its non-conference, regular-season finale at Dean Tuesday, Oct. 25 to prep for post-season action. The contest is set for a 4 p.m. start.           

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LAST TIME OUT
All three goals of the contest were scored over a 1:38 minute span and thankfully it was the Suffolk men's soccer team that put away two in the short time to defeat the Raiders of Rivier, 2-1, Saturday afternoon at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park.    

MORE READING: Men's Soccer Clinches Home Field, Defeats Rivier, 2-1, on Senior Day

RUNDOWN ON THE RAMS
Suffolk secured the most GNAC victories (6) in the program's history Saturday thanks to a 2-1 win over Rivier. The victory pushed the Rams to .500 (8-8-0) on the year. 

Suffolk's 38 this season rank fifth since 2005 in the Rams' annals with Alberto Bittan's team and league-leading numbers of 15 goals and 34 points ranking atop Suffolk's seasons lists back to 2005. Jarrett Davis, meanwhile, has dished out a conference-best eight assists, which tie two other Rams – Bernhard Lotterer and Marco D'Andrea - for second through the past 12 seasons. The freshman forward is also a threat in scoring himself, tallying three goals for a 14-point collegiate debut effort. Classmate Christian Restrepo is one point shy of Davis' effort with 13 on four goals and five assists while Aaron Haggas (5-1-11) and Jordan Casey (3-5-11) have each provided 11 points to the Rams' offense. 

In net, Jon Brodeur and Kyle Van Cleef are the Rams' go to. Brodeur boasta a .730 save percentage with 54 saves and 20 goals-allowed (2.06 GAA), while Van Cleef holds a .689 save percentage thanks to 31 saves and 14 goals-allowed (2.28 GAA). 

BIT 'BOUT THE BULLDOGS
Dean has put together a stand up season with a 15-1 ledger as the Bulldogs ride a four-game win streak into Tuesday's meeting. The four consecutive victories were all shutouts as Dean has blanked 14 opponents this season, outscoring the opposition, 90-3. 

Leandro Alves (Geo)'s 51 points thanks to 20 goals and 11 handouts lead the way for the Bulldogs with Justin Freitas (13-4-30), Samuel Fonseca (11-5-27) and Kessy Alves (9-5-23) all contributing well over 20-plus points of the effort. 

The two-headed goalie contingent of Karim Mokhtar and Brendan Pacheo has split time equally in net for Dean. Pacheco boasts an unbeaten 7-0 record with all seven wins coming in shutout fashion for a .909 save percentage and just one goal allowed. Mokhtar sports a .895 save percentage and has given up two goals.   

INSIDE THE SERIES
Suffolk and Dean will take the pitch for the first time against one another since 2002.                    

EYES ON THE GAME

BRILLANT BITTAN
Alberto Bittan has had a stand up senior season. The forward is among the nation's best with 34 points on 15 goals, including five game-winners. Bittan's numbers, both goals and points, lead the way for Suffolk in its recent history, dating back to the 2005 season. His five game-winners, meanwhile, sit 14th across all NCAA DIII. 

DOMINANT DAVIS
Jarrett Davis has made a meaningful impact as a freshman this season. He leads Suffolk and the GNAC in assists with eight, a number that sits second in the past 12 campaigns in the Rams' season annals. Overall he has provided 14 points on three scores and eight assists in his collegiate debut. 

GNAC GAINS
Suffolk's six GNAC victories this season are the most conference wins for the Rams since the blue and gold joined the GNAC contingent in 1999.   

POST-SEASON PUSH
The Rams will vie for the GNAC conference crown 16th time since joining the league in 1999 as Suffolk, which enters the tournament as the fourth seed, hosts fifth-seeded Albertus Magnus Saturday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. at James A. Sartori Stadium.

HERO OF THE WEEK NOMINEE
Jarrett Davis was nominated for HeroSports.com DIII HERO of the Week after his four-assist performance in the 5-1 win over Norwich. Davis came in second in the national poll finishing just 11 votes shy of Wisconsin-Luteran's Erek Lehnen. 

OVERTIME
Suffolk played in its second overtime game of 2016 Oct. 10, but for the first time since 2014, the Rams came out on the winning side when the blue and gold defeated Emmanuel 1-0. The last time Suffolk won an overtime contest was a 2-1 double overtime win against Regis Sept. 17,2 014. 

SHUTOUT
The Rams shutout over Albertus Magnus Sept. 10 was the first time Suffolk kept an opponent scoreless since a 2-0 win versus Johnson & Wales Sept. 27, 2014. On Oct. 10, Suffolk recorded its fourth cleansheet of the season; the most for the Rams since blanking match that number in 2012.  

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
After a career day, freshman Jarrett Davis of the Suffolk men's soccer team has beennamed the GNAC Corvias Rookie of the Week, the conference office announced Oct. 10

MORE READING: Davis Picks Up GNAC Corvias Rookie of the Week 

BACK-TO-BACK
Suffolk notched back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 2013 when it blanked Anna Maria (4-0, Sept. 21) and Eastern Nazarene (3-0, Sept. 25). 

PLAYER OF THE WEEK, AGAIN, AND AGAIN
For the third time this season, Alberto Bittan has been recognized by the conference as the senior grabbed Co-GNAC Corvias Player of the Week honor, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Bittan shares the weekly accolade with Norwich's Jacob Zimmerman. 

MORE READING: Bittan Grabs Co-GNAC Player of the Week Accolade

HATS OFF
Alberto Bittan knocked in three goals against UMass Dartmouth Sept. 4, becoming the first Ram to register a hat trick since Djibril Niang did so against the Corsairs Oct. 28, 2014. He repeated a three-goal game performance against Regis Sept. 17, becoming the first Suffolk player to net two hat tricks in one season since Danny Lloyd scored a pair in 2010. 

GOALIE OF THE WEEK
For the second straight week a member of the Suffolk men's soccer team was honored by the conference as sophomore keeper Kyle Van Cleef was named GNAC Corvias Goalie of the Week following a shutout performance in the Rams' league opener.

CONFERENCE OPENER
Suffolk won its conference opener for the first time since defeating Anna Maria in the first league game of the 2012 season, 9-0. 

SCORING FRENZY
Suffolk's five goals in the 6-5 setback to UMass Dartmouth Sept. 4 are the most for the Rams since Suffolk matched that number versus Anna Maria Oct. 13, 2014. 

SUFFOLK FREE RADIO
Suffolk Athletics has teamed up with Suffolk Free Radio to bring Ram Nation 17 live broadcasts of Suffolk soccer games this season. 

The pre-game shows are set to launch 15 minutes prior to kick-off of all contests and fans can follow along at mixlr.com/suffolkfreeradio/.  

COMING UP
Suffolk sets its sights on the GNAC post-season tournament where the fourth-seeded Rams host fifth-seed Albertus Magnus Saturday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park. The winner will advance to the semifinals and take on the winner of #8 Mount Ida/#1 Saint Joseph's (Maine) Tuesday, Nov. 1.