WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – The Colonial Athletic Association Champion William & Mary men's soccer team host Columbia in the First Round of the 2017 NCAA Championship on Thursday night at Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field. Both teams enter the contest on hot streaks as W&M is unbeaten in its last 10 matches (7-0-3), while the Lions have won five straight. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and the winner advances to face top-seeded Wake Forest on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m.
The NCAA First Round match-up will be streak live for FREE in HD on Tribe Athletics TV via Stretch Internet. The video and live stats link can be found on th men's soccer schedule page.
Tickets for the NCAA First-Round match-up between W&M and Columbia are available through the Tribe Ticket Office online at
TribeAthletics.com/NCAA17 or by calling (757) 221-3340. Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $3 for youth and students. Fans are encourage to purchase tickets online and arrive early.
The first 500 W&M students will receive FREE admission to Thursday night's match. Student shuttles will run from both Kaplan Arena and the Saddler Center, starting at 5:30 p.m.
IMPORTANT PARKING INFORMATION: Parking will be available near Martin Family Stadium in the gravel lot and the grass lot located next to the Dillard Complex across from the Plumeri Park. Fans can also park in the Eastern State Hospital lots located DePue Drive from the baseball stadium. Shuttles will be available from Eastern State to Martin Family Stadium closer to kickoff.
Tribe Soccer News and Notes
- The Tribe is making its 16th NCAA Tournament appearance and hosts a game at Martin Family Stadium in its fourth-straight appearance. W&M hosted NCAA Tournament games in 2008 (Winthrop), 2010 (UMBC - Second Round) and 2013 (George Mason). W&M owns eight victories in NCAA Tournament play, including quarterfinal appearances in 1980 and 1996.
- It is the first meeting between W&M and Columbia. The winner of Thursday night's match advances to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament and will travel to top-seeded Wake Forest on Sunday, Nov. 19, at 5 p.m.
- W&M is 3-3-1 against the 2017 NCAA Tournament field. Along with wins over ACC foes N.C. State (3-2) and Virginia Tech (4-1), which earned at-large bids, the Tribe downed UNCW (4-2) in the CAA title game and tied Coastal Carolina (1-1). W&M suffered losses at No. 13 Michigan (1-0), at No. 3 North Carolina (3-2) and vs. UNCW (2-1).
- The Green and Gold is currently riding a 10-match unbeaten streak (7-0-3). It is the longest since the program's school-record mark of 18 in 1996.
- The Tribe remained No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches Midwest Region Rankings on Nov. 14. W&M is the highest ranked CAA team and the ranking is the best for the Tribe in 2017.
- W&M was among the also receiving votes category of the coaches national top 25 for the second-straight week. W&M received 14 votes, coming in sixth in the category.
- Overall, W&M led the CAA in nearly every offensive category in 2017. The Green and Gold topped the league in scoring offense (1.85), assists (1.80), points (5.50) and shots (13.35) per game to go along with total goals (37), total assists (36) and total points (110).
- Nationally, W&M is 18th in total assists and total points, 19th in total goals, 24th in scoring offense, 25th in assists per game and 26th in points per game.
- For the second-straight week, junior
Antonio Bustamante grabbed headlines as the national player of the week, receiving the honor from both the United Soccer Coaches and Top Drawer Soccer. He garnered the coaches' association top weekly honor for the first time and the Top Drawer Soccer accolade for the second time in as many weeks.
- The quartet of senior
William Eskay, juniors
Antonio Bustamante and
Ryder Bell and sophomore
Reeves Trott have combined for 80 points on 29 goals and 22 assists this season. They represent 72.7 percent of W&M's points, 78.4 percent of its goals and 61.1 percent of its assists.
- The Tribe had six athletes earn CAA honors led by junior
Antonio Bustamante becoming the sixth player of the year in Tribe history. Junior
Ryder Bell joined Bustamante on the All-CAA First Team. Senior
William Eskay and junior
Marcel Berry received All-CAA Second Team nods, and senior
Riley Spain earned his first All-CAA honor on the third team. It marked the 10th time W&M had five All-CAA selections. Freshman
Sam Golan rounded out the group as the program's 16th CAA All-Rookie Team selection.
- Junior
Antonio Bustamante was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the CAA Championship. He is the sixth Tribe honoree all-time and just the sixth player in CAA history to win both player of the year and the tournament's MOP in the same season. Senior
Riley Spain and juniors
Remi Frost and
Ryder Bell were also named to the CAA All-Championship Team.
- Senior goalkeeper
Phil Breno is 37th among active DI goalkeepers in career shutouts with 16. His 14 at W&M rank sixth in program history as does his 1.07 GAA with the Tribe.
- Junior
Antonio Bustamante, who was named to the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List, ranks third nationally in goals (15) and fifth in points (35). His goal total is fifth in W&M history, while his point total is eighth. He has scored in 10 of the last 15 matches and owns 26 points on 11 goals and four assists over the last nine contests (2.89 per contest).
- Junior
Ryder Bell owns four of his six markers this season in the last nine matches, posting 14 points (four goals and six assists) during the stretch (1.6 per contest).
