Bears, Friars Grab Spots In NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament

Bears, Friars Grab Spots In NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament

Coaching legend Mike Noonan may have left the East Side of Providence for Clemson, South Carolina, but the beat goes on for the Brown University men’s soccer program.

Brown learned that it will participate in the NCAA men’s soccer tournament receiving at at-large bid Monday. The Bears (11-3-3) will host Boston College (10-4-5) at Stevenson Field at 7pm Thursday night.

Brown wasn’t the only local team to make it to the big dance. The Providence Friars (12-5-3) will host St. Peter’s (13-5-1) at 1pm Thursday. The Bears and Friars are on opposite sides of the bracket and could not meet until the National Championship game if they were to advance that far.

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For the 14th-ranked Bears, this will be the 8th time in the last 11 years that they advance to the tournament and the first for first-year head coach Patrick Laughlin.

Sean Rosa leads Brown’s offensive attack with 6 goals and 4 assists. But the strength of the Bears is their defense. Goaltender Paul Granstrand has been outstanding all season long helping the Bears pick up 11 shutouts.

Providence coach Chaka Daley has led the Friars to the tournament 4 times in the last 6 years. His team is led offensively by first team All-Big East middie Matt Marcin who has 8 goals and 3 assists. Goalkeeper Jhojan Obando has posted 6 shutouts for the Friars this season. He sports a 0.96 goals against average.

Providence is one of seven Big East schools to make the tournament. The Bears are one of four teams from the Ivy League to make it into the field of 48.