Nov. 13, 2012
Contact: Jeff Sattora
NCAA Tournament Round 1
Cleveland State at Michigan State
East Lansing, Mich.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
1:00 p.m.
TOURNAMENT TIME
The 2012 version of the Cleveland State Vikings' men's soccer team has been able to do something no Vikings' team since 1980 has been able to do, qualify for the NCAA tournament. CSU, the second seed in the Horizon League tournament, was able to take out the sixth seeded Loyola Ramblers in the championship game on Sunday, 2-0. Looking ahead the Vikings will be matching up against the Michigan State Spartans in Michigan State this Thursday at 1:00 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
REVIEWING THE LAST TIME OUT
The Vikings ended last week 2-0-0, here are recaps of those contests.
Game #18: Cleveland State 1, Valparaiso 0
Cleveland State got off to a solid start in the 2012 Horizon League tournament, taking down the fourth seeded Valparaiso Crusaders in the semi-finals of the Horizon League tournament. The two squads played a second low scoring affair this season after tying 0-0 earlier in the year. This time though the Vikings were able to get on the board, with Christian Arboleda finding Admir Suljevic in the 35th minute to take the lead and win.
Game #19: Cleveland State 2, Loyola 0
For the first time since 1980 the Cleveland State Vikings qualified for the NCAA tournament this past weekend when they took down the Loyola Ramblers 2-0 in the Horizon League Championship. After falling behind to Loyola and having to climb back in the first contest of the year against Loyola, the Vikings knew they needed to come out aggressive, and that's exactly what they did. Although the two teams played a scoreless first half, the Vikings were able to strike quick in the second session and never look back. First Aaron Adkins found Cazz Warren just four minutes into the second half, with Adkins then later scoring a goal of his own in the 83rd minute to secure the win and title.
FIRST TIME SINCE...
For the first time since 1980 the Cleveland State Vikings have qualified for the NCAA Men's Soccer Division I tournament. CSU, a program that has now qualified for the tournament nine times in its history, had not made it that far in a season since current Head Coach Ali Kazemaini was a player on that 1980 team.
THE BEST IN A DECADE
With the Vikings ending the 2012 regular season with a 4-1-2 Horizon League record the team was able to earn the second seed in the league tournament. This is the highest seed for CSU in the league tournament since the end of the 2002 season.
BRINGING IN THE HONORS
The Horizon League announced last week that Cleveland State Vikings' Head Men's Soccer Coach Ali Kazemaini and seven CSU players have been honored with post-season award selections.
Coach of the Year
Kazemaini, in his seventh season leading the Vikings, has been named the league's `Coach of the Year' for the first time. The former Cleveland State player has helped to build the program from the ground up, taking over the team in 2006 following a winless campaign. CSU's second place league finish in 2012 is the highest the team has ended the regular season in the Horizon League standings since the 2002 campaign.
Defensive Player of the Year
Junior defender Cameron Eisses joined Kazemaini in earning individual honors, being named the league's `Defensive Player of the Year.' Eisses, also an All-League first team member, was a defensive anchor all season long for CSU, helping to lead a defense that posted a league-high seven shutouts on the year.
All-League Team Honors
CSU finished 2012 with a league-high three players on the All-League first team, to go along with two on the Second team and two on the All-Newcomer team. Forward Admir Suljevic and midfielder Aslinn Rodas joined Cameron Eisses on the first team. Senior goalie Brad Stuver and junior defender Zach Ellis-Hayden were both second team members, with defender Danilo Radjen and forward Alfonso Sandoval being named to the All-Newcomer team.
BALANCED OFFENSIVE ATTACK
CSU ended the regular season very balanced on the offensive end, with nine players scoring at least one goal. Eight of those players (Cazz Warren, Zach Ellis-Hayden, Admir Suljevic, Mike Derezic, Alfonso Sandoval, Cristian Arboleda, Aslinn Rodas, and Aaron Adkins) have multiple goals. Forward Admir Suljevic, midfielder Mike Derezic, and defender Zach Ellis-Hayden are all currently tied for the CSU team lead in goals with four.
STUVER AND DEREZIC HONORED
Senior goalie Brad Stuver and sophomore midfielder Mike Derezic were both honored this season as the Horizon League Defensive and Offensive Players of the Week respectively. Stuver earned the defensive honor for the second time this season, with Derezic earning the offensive award for the first time on both this season and his career.
SHUTDOWN STUVER
Senior goalie Brad Stuver is back in goal for his fourth straight year starting for the Vikings. Stuver is a three-time all-league honoree (1st team in 2010, 2nd team in 2011 and 2012), and 2010 Goalie of the Year award winner. He led the Horizon League this year with nine shutouts (including playoffs)
HIGH RANKING OFFENSE
Looking at the team rankings in the Horizon League, CSU is near the top in each major offensive category. Cleveland State ended the year tied for first in goals with 26, and was second in assists with 22 and points with 74.
WORKING OVERTIME
CSU has put in a lot of extra work in games this season, with eight of their 17 games going into overtime. The Vikings are now 4-1-3 in those overtime contests, with three of those wins coming in league play.
UP NEXT
The winner of the Cleveland State-Michigan State match-up will take on the top seeded Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame this Sunday at 7:00 p.m.
