No. 3W SETON HILL GRIFFINS (9-7-2, 6-3-1 PSAC West) at No. 2W GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (14-2-2, 7-1-2 PSAC West)
PSAC QUARTERFINALS
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, November 9, 2021 | 1:00 p.m.
STADIUM/LOCATION: McConnell Family Stadium l Erie, Pa.
 
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THE GANNON-SETON HILL SERIES
Gannon leads all-time series 12-2-3 (Gannon has won four in a row, out-scoring Seton Hill 13-2 in those games)
Home vs. Seton Hill: 5-1-2
First meeting: 2007
This year's meetings:
Oct. 13, 2021 – #15 Gannon 2, Seton Hill 1 (2ot) | RECAP
Oct. 30, 2021 – #16 Gannon 1, Seton Hill 0 | RECAP
Last Meeting in PSAC Tournament:
Oct. 30, 2018 – Gannon 1, Seton Hill 1 (Seton Hill advanced 5-4 in PKs) | RECAP
 
ERIE, Pa. - Gannon's quest for a PSAC men's soccer title will begin on Tuesday afternoon at McConnell Family Stadium as the No. 19-ranked and second-seeded Golden Knights welcome third-seeded Seton Hill for a home quarterfinal matchup. Gannon comes into the game with a 14-2-2 record and has also won four-straight games against Seton Hill.
 
Gannon swept the 2021 regular season meetings between the programs, including a recent 1-0 win on Oct. 30 during senior day. In the senior day victory, Sergio Del Castillo (Madrid, Spain) scored in the 32^nd minute to provide the only goal of the game. The goal was scored off a header from Bek Nurlanbek's (Almaty, Kazakhstan/Loughborough College) corner kick.
 
In the first meeting of the season back on Oct. 13 in Greensburg, Gannon scored early in the second overtime to pick up the road win. After falling behind 1-0 in the 39^th minute, Joe Knox (Gold Coast, Australia/The Southport School) provided the equalizer in the 57^th minute with an assist from Nurlanbek. Then, just 19 seconds into the second overtime period, Herman Aanberg (Hamar, Norway/Wang Toppidrett Oslo) rebounded a Seton Hill save and scored the game-winning goal for the Golden Knights.
 
Gannon and Seton Hill last met in the PSAC Tournament following the 2018 season, a game that ended in a 1-1 draw at McConnell Family Stadium. Seton Hill advanced following a 5-4 advantage in PKs.
 
Back in 2019, Gannon was the top seed in the PSAC West and hosted the PSAC Men's Soccer Tournament at McConnell Family Stadium. The Golden Knights advanced to the championship with a 2-1 overtime victory over West Chester in the semifinals, following goals by Del Castillo (86^th) and Knox (97^th) to grab the come-from-behind win. In the finals, Millersville edged the Golden Knights with a goal early in the first half that proved to be the difference.
 
Del Castillo and Tinashe Katsande (Norwich, England/Dereham Sixth Form College) are leading the Golden Knights in goals this season with 11 and 10, respectively, on the year. Four of Del Castillo's goals are game-winners this season, while Knox has added three game-winners on the year. Knox is third on the team with five goals this season.
 
Del Castillo ranks 26^th in the country and third in the conference in goals this season, while Katsande ranks 35^th in the country and fourth in the conference. Del Castillo's 26 points also rank in the top 25 in the country.
 
Nurlanbek and Aanberg lead Gannon in assists this season with eight and six, respectively. Nurlanbek's eight assists this season rank 21^st in the country and fourth in the PSAC.
 
Goalkeeper Maximiliano Rocco (Florence, S.C.) currently ranks in the top 25 in the country in goals against average (.789), save percentage (.861) and shutouts (6). His .861 save percentage ranks third in NCAA Division II.
 
The winner of Tuesday's game will advance to Friday's second semifinal against the No. 1 seed out of the PSAC East, Lock Haven. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. at Saxon Stadium on the campus of Mercyhurst University.
 
West Chester will host Millersville in the eastern division quarterfinal on Tuesday at 1 p.m. The winner will meet Mercyhurst on Friday at 2 p.m. to kickoff the semifinal round. The PSAC men's soccer championship will be decided on Sunday (time TBA).