Tribe Hosts Old Dominion on Senior Night

W&M has a chance to wrap up a CAA Tournament berth when it battles ODU on Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.

11/07/07 10:30AM

Williamsburg - The William and Mary men’s soccer team will look to wrap up a berth in the CAA Tournament when it hosts Senior Night against Old Dominion on Thursday, Nov. 8. The game is slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Albert-Daly Field as the Tribe will honor seniors Doug Ernst, Brock Jones, Ryan Overdevest, Ryan Sells, Brennan Wergley and Michael Yakovac.

A victory or a tie would put the wraps on the College’s first trip to the CAA Tournament since 2004. A win over Old Dominion would also give the College a first-round bye into the semifinals. The top six teams in the CAA make the tournament field, with the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds receiving a first-round bye.

For complete W&M men's soccer notes, click HERE.

Tribe News and Notes
- W&M is currently receiving votes in the NSCAA South Atlantic Region poll.

- The Tribe was No. 79 in the Division I midseason RPI standings released by the NCAA on Oct. 30. W&M is listed third among CAA schools behind Old Dominion (No. 44) and VCU (No. 66).

- W&M has started at least five freshmen in each of its last 16 contests, going 8-5-3 over the stretch. For the first time in school history, the Tribe started six freshmen in its CAA opening wins over Hofstra and Northeastern.

- Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Andrew McAdams made his first collegiate start in the Tribe’s 3-1 win over Temple, finishing with three saves. In games in which McAdams starts, W&M is 8-5-3 with a goals against average of 0.71.

- Seven W&M players have garnered their first collegiate points in 2007. Redshirt freshman Alan Koger scored his first collegiate goal in the Tribe’s victory over Temple, while sophomore Jeremy Harris opened the season with his first marker against Elon and junior Doug McBride scored his first career goal at Stony Brook. Most recently, sophomore Roger Bothe tallied his first career goal on a PK against JMU. Reshirt freshman Andrew McAdams (assist vs. American) and freshmen Nathanial Baako (assist vs. Dartmouth) and Michael DiNuzzo (assist vs. Temple) tallied their first career points on assists this season.

- Underclassmen have scored 14 of W&M’s 19 goals this season and registered 39 of its 58 points. Those numbers equate to 73.6 percent of the Tribe’s goal scoring production and 67.2 percent of its points.

- The Tribe is 16-8-9 all-time at Albert-Daly Field, including a 6-1-1 mark this season.

- Senior Doug Ernst has three assists over his last two games. He assisted on both W&M goals in the 2-0 win over UNCW. It marked the fourth time in his W&M career in which he has recorded two assists in a game. He has 17 career helpers for W&M.

- Senior Brennan Wergley began the season as the College’s starting goalkeeper, but has appeared six games as a reserve forward.
- Senior Ryan Overdevest and junior Doug McBride are the W&M captains for 2007.

- Sophomore Price Thomas had a seven-match point streak from Sept. 22-Oct. 14. Over the stretch, he scored six goals and dished out an assist.

- Two former W&M players are currently playing professionally in Major League Soccer (MLS) and with a club in the Norway. Wade Barrett (1994-97) is in his second season with the Houston Dynamo, after captaining the club to the 2006 MLS Cup. He has earned 29 starts this season, assisting on two goals. The Dynamo is currently playing in the MLS Playoffs. Former All-American Adin Brown (1996-99) is the first-team goalkeeper for Aalesunds FK in Norway. Brown has five shutouts in 20 games for Aalesunds FK and even scored the last-minute equalizing header against defending champion Rosenborg in July. In total, over 28 former Tribe players have played pro soccer at some level.

- W&M improved to 30-6-2 all-time in home openers with its win over Elon. The Tribe is a perfect 4-0 under head coach Chris Norris in home openers.

- Juniors Nathan Belcher and Doug McBride were named to the Penn State Classic All-Tournament Team. Redshirt freshman Alan Koger, freshman Nathaniel Baako and junior Brock Jones were named to the ODU Stihl Soccer Classic All-Tournament Team.

Scouting Old Dominion
The Monarchs enter the Thursday night affair with the Tribe in a first-place tie with Drexel. ODU is 10-6-2 overall on the season and 7-2-1 in the CAA, having already clinched a berth in the conference tournament. Last weekend, Old Dominion suffered a 2-0 setback at Delaware, before ending the weekend with a 0-0 tie against Drexel.

Trevor Banks leads the Monarchs in scoring with 15 points on six goals and three assists. A.J. Kulp tops the squad in assists with six, while ranking second on the team in goals (3) and points (12). Ambane Emmanuel and T.J. Beaulieu each of three goals on the season as well with all three of Beaulieu’s markers coming as game-winners. Evan Newton has played nearly ever minute in goal for the Monarchs, amassing a GAA of 0.69 to go along with 51 saves and eight shutouts.

W&M holds a 20-17-8 all-time advantage over ODU, including an 8-7-3 ledger in Williamsburg. Despite the cushion in the all-time series, W&M has dropped the last four matches with the Monarchs, including a 2-1 decision in Norfolk last season.

Senior Night
The Tribe men’s soccer program will honor six seniors playing in their final regular-season home contests for the College against Old Dominion. Seniors Dour Ernst, Brock Jones, Ryan Overdevest, Ryan Sells, Brennan Wergley and Michael Yakovac have posted 30 victories during their fours season with the College and are poised to make their second trip to the CAA Tournament.

Senior Midfielder Doug Ernst.
Ernst has been a catalyst for the Tribe offense during his career at the College, racking up 25 career points on four goals and 17 assists. He has appeared in 70 matches over his career, including 41 starts. Ernst currently leads the Tribe and ranks among the top-10 in the CAA in assists with five. Last season, he led the league in assists with nine on the year. Ernst also scored the game-winner earlier this season in W&M’s 2-1 overtime victory over Northeastern. He ranks third on the team with seven points this season.

Senior Back Brock Jones
Jones has displayed incredible versatility during his career with the Tribe. While currently trolling the middle of the Tribe backline, he has started matches in the midfield and at forward during his career. For his career, Jones has 21 points on eight goals and five assists. Earlier this season, he was named to the ODU Stihl Soccer Classic All-Tournament for the second straight year. Jones has started 51 of his 53 career games with W&M.

Senior midfielder Ryan Overdevest
Overdevest has been known as a smart and tireless worker over his Tribe career, and as a co-captain this season, has provided balance in the W&M midfield. Earlier this month, he earned ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic All-District III honors for the second consecutive year. In 2006, he was a Second-Team Academic All-America choice. Last weekend, Overdevest tallied his first goal of the season, scoring the game-winner at Delaware. He also assisted on the Tribe’s game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over VCU in October.

Senior back Ryan Sells
During his W&M career, Sells has started and played at both in the midfield and the back. He has appeared in 59 matches over his career, while earning 30 starts. As a redshirt freshman in 2004, Sells earned W&M Co-Rookie of the Year honors. In 2006, he tallied his only career goal, scoring the game-winner in a 2-0 win over UNCW. This season, he has appeared in nine matches, while making one start.

Senior forward/goalkeeper Brennan Wergley
Wergley has provided the Tribe with quality play at both the goalkeeper and forward positions during his senior season. After beginning the year as the Tribe’s starting goalkeeper, he has emerged as a reserve forward, appearing in six games in that capacity. He started the opening three games of the season in goal for the College and has started 20 matches over his career, posting a goals against average of 1.31 to go along with 95 saves and six shutouts.

Senior back Michael Yakovac
Yakovac has been a solid contributor for the Tribe over his four seasons. He has appeared in 31 matches, making 17 starts. As a redshirt freshman in 2004, Yakovac garnered CAA All-Rookie Team honors and W&M co-Rookie of the Year accolades. He also registered his only career point during the 2004 campaign, assisting on the game-winning goal in the Tribe’s 1-0 upset of No. 1-ranked Maryland.

CAA Tournament Possibilities
The Tribe can clinch a berth in the CAA Tournament and a first-round bye with a victory over Old Dominion on Thursday night. W&M has the possibility of finishing as high as No. 2 in CAA standings or as low as No. 7, depending on results from Nov. 8’s CAA regular-season finales. The College can clinch a berth in the CAA Tournament for the first time since the 2004 season with any of the following results:

1) A win or tie versus Old Dominion
2) A Northeastern loss to Hofstra
3) A James Madison win over VCU
4) A VCU win over James Madison
5) A Towson win or loss to George Mason

Overdevest Named Academic All-District
For the second straight season, senior midfielder Ryan Overdevest was named to the ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic All-District III squad. Last season, the Bridgeton, N.J., native garnered first-team academic all-district honors on his way to ESPN The Magazine Second-Team Academic All-America distinction. Overdevest was one of four midfielders and 12 overall players selected to the academic all-district squad.

This season, Overdevest has helped the Tribe to an 9-7-3 overall mark and a 6-3-1 ledger in the CAA. He has started 15 matches, including each of the last 12 contests, while playing in all 19 for the College. He has three points on the year with a goal and an assist. He headed in the game-winner against Delaware on Nov. 4, while providing the game-winning helper in the Tribe’s 1-0 win over VCU. For his career, Overdevest has played in 59 matches, earning 23 starts.

The senior co-captain has been a standout in the classroom as well as the pitch. He carries a perfect grade point average along with his Academic All-America honors from a season ago. During the last three seasons, Overdevest has won the W&M Alumni Award for the highest GPA on the Tribe men’s soccer team. Last spring, he was named the W&M Robert M. Usry Award winner. The award is given annually to a varsity athlete who has earned at least one varsity letter, has the highest GPA of any athlete at the end of his/her junior year and has completed 75 percent of his/her degree requirements for graduation.

In the National Rankings
The Tribe defense has proven to be one most stout in the CAA this season, and those numbers have translated nationally as well. The College has shutout nine of its 19 opponents this season, which ranks 31st nationally for shutout percentage. The Tribe is also 28th nationally in save percentage as a team at .828.

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Andrew McAdams ranks among the national leaders in goals against average, saves per game and save percentage. His CAA-leading .861 save percentage ranks eighth nationally, while he is 21st in saves per game. His goals against average of 0.81 ranks 42nd nationally.

Stout Defense
The College has made it difficult for opponents to find the back of the net this season, especially over the last few weeks. W&M head coach Chris Norris said his team set a goal of 10 shutouts prior to the 2007 campaign and the squad is well on its way to achieving that goal. W&M has registered nine shutouts so far this season, including six in CAA play.

The Tribe’s six CAA shutouts are the most ever for a W&M team, bettering the mark set by the 1987, 1998 and 2005 squads. The College leads the league in shutouts overall and in conference play, while ranking third in the CAA in goals against average during league play at 0.58.

As the season has worn on, the Tribe defense has gotten stronger. Over W&M’s last 14 matches, the Tribe has shutout eight opponents and registered a goals against average of 0.61. Over that stretch, W&M is 7-4-3. The College has been even stingier over the last seven games, registering five shutouts with a goals against average of 0.27.