Video | Live Stats | MAAC Championship Central
Riverdale, NY – Manhattan (9-7-0 | 6-3-0 MAAC) wraps up the 2017 regular season slate with a midweek matchup against Canisius (11-3-3 | 5-1-3 MAAC) on Wednesday, November 1 at 4:00 pm in Buffalo, NY.
The Playoff Picture
The 2017 MAAC Championship field is already set, with Rider, Fairfield, Manhattan, Canisius, Quinnipiac and Iona earning a postseason berth. However, all six seeds are not set in stone.
The Jaspers currently sit in third place in the MAAC standings with 18 points and have secured at least a top-five seed. Canisius is fourth with 18 points as well. Rider and Fairfield are atop the standings at 20 points. Quinnipiac occupies the fifth slot at the moment with 15 points, with Iona right behind at 14 points.
Rider plays Fairfield on Wednesday at 7:00 pm. The outright winner of that game would be the regular season champion and the #1 seed for the tournament. If both teams draw and Manhattan beats Canisius by more than one goal, the Jaspers would tie the Broncs and Stags with 21 points, but Manhattan would capture the MAAC regular season crown based on goal differential. If Rider and Fairfield draw and Manhattan wins by one, the Jaspers and Broncs would finish with identical points and an identical goal differential. Rider would win the next tiebreaker based on head-to-head matchup and Manhattan would be the #2 seed.
If Manhattan defeats Canisius, the Jaspers would clinch a top-three seed. Should Manhattan finish as the #3 or #4 seed, it would play in the MAAC Quarterfinals on Sunday, November 5 at Gaelic Park. If the Jaspers end up as the #5 seed, they will travel to the #4 seed on Sunday.
Da Silva Heats Up
Junior
Lucas Da Silva has turned in two goals and five points in his last two games to lead the team with 16 points this season. Manhattan is 5-0 in 2017 when Da Silva scores. If he scores a goal or two points against the Golden Griffins, he will notch the most points in a single season for an individual Jasper since 2008, when Fernando Londono recorded eight goals and 18 points.
Out For A Shutout
Manhattan has tallied eight shutouts in 2017, tied for the most in a single season in the program's 50-year history. If the Jaspers shut out Canisius, it would shatter the 1988 team's mark for most shutouts. This year's squad has allowed a program-low 14 goals this season.
Pulling Rank
Sophomore goalkeeper
Marcellin Gohier has put up some of the best numbers in Division I soccer this season. The France native enters the week second in the nation with a .860 save percentage, trailing only Indiana's Trey Muse. Gohier is also 12th with a 0.57 goals-against average.
Scouting the Golden Griffins
Canisius is 11-3-3 this season and 5-1-3 in MAAC play. On Saturday, October 28, the Golden Griffins battled Iona to a scoreless draw at the Demske Sports Complex. Canisius is 5-1-2 at home this season.
The Golden Griffins boast the best offense in the MAAC and one of the top units in the nation. Canisius ranks fourth in Division I soccer with 2.47 goals per game and 7.59 points per contest. Sophomore Troy Brady and current MAAC Rookie of the Week Filippo Tamburini lead the conference with nine goals apiece. They are among six different players who have recorded double-digit point totals this year for Canisius.
Series History
Since the start of the 2000 season, Manhattan is 5-9-2 against Canisius. The Jaspers' last win against the Golden Griffins came in 2011, a 2-1 victory in Buffalo. Canisius has won the last three contests. Wednesday's matchup will feature the MAAC's best scoring offense (Canisius has 22 goals in conference play) and the best defense (Manhattan has allowed just four goals to MAAC opponents).
