Men's Soccer Readies For Ninth Consecutive Conference Championship Tournament Appearance

Bridgeport, Conn. - The University of Bridgeport men's soccer team will open the 2011 East Coast Conference Championship Tournament on the road versus New York Tech on Wednesday, November 2nd at 2:00 p.m.  Bridgeport, the number three seed in the tournament, comes into Thursday's match with a 9-6-1 overall record, and the Purple Knights went 4-2-1 in conference play during the regular season.  NYIT, the number two seed, went 12-3-1 overall during the regular season and 5-1-1 in ECC play.  Bridgeport handed the Bears their only regular season conference loss on October 1st in Connecticut, as the Purple Knights posted a 3-0 shutout victory.

This is the ninth consecutive year the University of Bridgeport men's soccer program has advanced to the conference championship tournament.

In Wednesday's other 2011 ECC Men's Soccer Championship Semifinal, number one seed C.W. Post (15-1-1 overall and 6-0-1 ECC) will host number four seed Queens (N.Y.) College (7-7-4 overall, 3-2-2 ECC).  That match will begin at 2:30 p.m.  Wednesday's winners will meet at a time to be determined on Friday, November 4th on the home field of the highest remaining seeded team to decide the 2011 East Coast Conference Men's Soccer Title.

Sophomore Markus Naglestad (Kristiansand, Norway) leads a balanced UB offensive attack with 22 points so far in 2011 on eight goals and six assists.  Senior Patric Brundin (Gothenburg, Sweden) is next on the Purple Knights' scoring list with 11 points on four goals and three assists.  Junior Lee Middleton (Newcastle, England) rounds out the top three scorers on the team with 10 points on five goals.  A total of 12 different players have scored at least one goal for Bridgeport this season, and 14 Purple Knights have points in 2011.

2011 East Coast Conference Men's Soccer Championship Tournament Schedule

Semifinals:
Wednesday, November 2

No. 3 Bridgeport at No.  2 NYIT - 2pm

No. 4 Queens at No. 1 CW Post - 2:30 pm

Finals:
Friday, November 4

Winner 2/3 vs. Winner 1/4 @ highest seed - Time TBD