STANDISH, Maine – #4 Saint Joseph's College (8-8-1, 7-4-1 GNAC) will travel to #1 University of Saint Joseph (11-4-2, 9-1-2 GNAC) for a 2025 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Men's Soccer Tournament Semifinal on Tuesday, November 4 at 6:00 PM at the USJ Athletics Complex.
The winner of the #1 University of Saint Joseph / #4 Saint Joseph's matchup will advance to Saturday's GNAC Championship (November 8) to face the #2 Rivier / #6 Norwich winner, with the league title and automatic NCAA Tournament berth (beginning November 15) on the line.
BRACKETOLOGY
GNAC Men's Soccer Tournament Schedule
Quarterfinals – Saturday, Nov. 1 (Hosted by higher seeds)
#1 University of Saint Joseph def. #8 Albertus Magnus, 1-0
#2 Rivier def. #7 Emmanuel, 1-1 (PK – Home)
#6 Norwich def. #3 Regis, 1-1 (PK – Away)
#4 Saint Joseph's def. #5 Dean, 3-1
Semifinals – Tuesday, Nov. 4 (Hosted by higher seeds)
#1 University of Saint Joseph vs. #4 Saint Joseph's, 6:00 PM
#2 Rivier vs. #6 Norwich, 6:00 PM
Championship – Saturday, Nov. 8 (Hosted by higher seed)
Semifinal winners, TBD
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Saint Joseph's erased an early 1-0 deficit with three unanswered goals to defeat #5 Dean College, 3-1, in quarterfinal play on Saturday. Junior Zander Haskell netted all three goals for the Monks.
The Blue Jays edged #8 Albertus Magnus College, 1-0, behind an 18th-minute penalty kick from senior Nicholas Simpson (Mansfield, Conn.) in their quarterfinal matchup.
QUICK FACTS
University of Saint Joseph is 6-0-2 at home this fall and carries an 18-game unbeaten streak at the USJ Athletics Complex, having not lost on its home turf since a 5-1 setback to Wheaton College on September 7, 2024.
Saint Joseph's is 2-5-1 on the road this season, with both one-goal losses.
Over their last six contests, the Monks are 4-1-1, while the Blue Jays are 5-1-0.
The Monks boast one of the most balanced attacks in the conference and are the only GNAC team with four players recording five or more goals this fall.
The Blue Jays have outscored opponents 35-13 in conference play.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Saint Joseph's
- Nick Marion (So., Windham, Maine) – Tied for 4th in the GNAC in goals (9) and 4th in points (24).
- Cole Bishop (Jr., Gorham, Maine) – Six goals, four assists, two game-winners.
- Zander Haskell (Jr., Scarborough, Maine) – Eight goals in just 12 appearances after missing early action.
- Curtis Metcalf (So., South Portland, Maine) – Five goals and one assist (11 pts).
University of Saint Joseph
- Mario Milardo (So., Middletown, Conn.) – Nine goals, five assists, 23 points.
- Emmanuel Ofori (Sr., East Hartford, Conn.) – Eight goals, five assists, 21 points.
- Nico Hamzavi (So., West Hartford, Conn.) – Four goals, four assists, 12 points.
- Nate Gabriel (Jr., Naugatuck, Conn.) – Four goals, three assists, 11 points, three game-winners.
KEEPER COMPARISON
Saint Joseph's: Logan Davis (Sr., Naples, Maine) – 1.28 GAA, 6-4-1 record, 3 shutouts, .769 SV% (50 saves, 15 GA). Has started 11 straight games.
University of Saint Joseph: Will Slayton (So., Manchester, Conn.) – 1.08 GAA, 10-2-2 record, 5 shutouts, .797 SV% (55 saves, 14 GA).
THE SKIPPERS
Saint Joseph's: Will Pike '11 – 7th season (73-29-13, .691)
University of Saint Joseph: Paul Wright – 8th season (83-31-15, .702)
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
These teams last met in West Hartford nearly two months ago, when the Blue Jays posted a 4-2 win. USJ struck twice in the opening 16 minutes on goals from Nate Gabriel and Mario Milardo, while Nick Marion scored twice for the Monks, once before halftime and again in the 67th minute. USJ's Emmanuel Ofori and Milardo added insurance tallies as the Blue Jays held off a late SJC push.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
Saint Joseph's is 5-3-1 all-time versus the University of Saint Joseph but has not defeated the Blue Jays since October 1, 2022 (3-0 at the SJC Athletics Complex).
POSTSEASON HISTORY
Saint Joseph's—six-time GNAC champion (2009, 2011, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)—has qualified for the conference tournament every year since joining the GNAC in 2007, compiling a 24-10-2 (.694) all-time record, including 1-5-1 (.214) on the road. The Monks' lone road playoff win was a 2-0 victory at Lasell on November 4, 2008.
The University of Saint Joseph—two-time GNAC champion (2022, 2024)—has reached the postseason every year since becoming an NCAA DIII program in 2018, posting a 10-4-0 tournament record. The Blue Jays are 7-0-0 in home playoff games.
USJ and SJC have met twice previously in the postseason, with the Monks prevailing 3-1 in the 2021 semifinals and falling 2-0 to the Blue Jays in the 2022 quarterfinals.
GNAC STATS COMPARISON:
