Champs! Men's Soccer Captures First CAA Tournament Title

Saturday, November 16

Vidas Field

TBA

Drexel University

9-7-4

No. 3 William & Mary

11-5-2

William & Mary

Drexel

Photo by: Ryan Samson

Champs! Men's Soccer Captures First CAA Tournament Title

11/16/2013 6:55:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - The mark of a championship team is the ability of players to step up when the moment presents itself. Earning the Colonial Athletic Association's top seed for a second-straight season, the Drexel men's soccer team has shown itself to be full of All-Conference caliber players. On Saturday in the CAA championship game, though, one of the Dragons' less heralded players stepped up when called upon to help the team to a championship. Freshman defender Jameson Detweiler scored his first collegiate goal on his first collegiate shot in the 26th minute, a goal that held up as the game winner as Drexel won its first-ever CAA championship, 1-0 over third-seeded William & Mary.

Drexel (9-7-4) will return to the NCAA Tournament for a second-straight season, and will find out its NCAA Tournament seeding and opponent on Monday at noon. The team will gather in the Drexel Rec Center gallery outside Landmark Americana. Fans are encouraged to join the celebration.

Senior defender and captain Tal Bublil was named the CAA Championships Most Outstanding Performer, anchoring the defense which handed No. 21 William & Mary (11-5-2) its first shutout since September 13. He was joined on the All-Championships Team by freshman goalkeeper Tyler Afflerbach, sophomore forward Joaquin del Rosario who scored twice in the semifinal against Delaware, and senior midfielder Ken Tribbett.

The Dragons scored off a corner kick, a facet of the game they have executed superbly in the latter stages of the season, particularly during the CAA Championships. In the 26th minute, Michele Pataia inserted a ball to the front of the net, where Detweiler got a head on the ball and knocked it straight down to his feet. He steadied himself and powered his first collegiate shot past William & Mary goalkeeper Mac Phillips, giving the Dragons a lead it would not relinquish.

Drexel held the high-powered Tribe offense, which had scored six goals in its semifinal victory over No. 2 seed UNCW, to just nine shots, four of which went on goal. Afflerbach came up with all four saves. The Tribe's best offensive opportunity came late in the first half, when a shot hit the post to Afflerbach's left before ricocheting back into play where a Dragon defender cleared it out of the box.

In front of 699 loud and boisterous fans, the Dragons prevented the Tribe from getting many clean looks near the goal. Drexel finished with eight shots itself, and head coach Doug Hess elected to keep some of his offensive producers in the game late rather than substitute defensive specialists. It paid off, with Drexel playing outstanding team soccer to keep William & Mary off balance.

The Dragons become the eighth different team to win the CAA title in the last eight seasons. After earning the No. 1 seed and an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament last year, Drexel will be the conference's automatic bid this season. The Dragons will play its first round game later this week. Fans can check back to DrexelDragons.com throughout the week for more information as it becomes available.