SWARTHMORE, Pa. – Centennial Conference rivals are set to meet in the second round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championships after Swarthmore and Dickinson advanced with shut-out victories in first-round action hosted at Swarthmore College on a wet Saturday evening.

Swarthmore the 2008 Centennial Conference champion, continue its best season in almost 25 seasons with a 2-0 win over visiting Rutgers-Camden, 2-0. The Garnet (16-2-2) extend their current unbeaten streak to 12 consecutive matches. The Scarlet Knights, making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, conclude the 2008 season with an overall record of 16-5-2.

Dickinson (13-3-3) upset Salisbury (15-4-3), the Capital Athletic Conference champions, 1-0, in the nightcap.

Swarthmore and Dickinson will meet for the third time in 2008 (all at Clothier Field); the Garnet won the regular season meeting, 2-0, and the two teams tied, 1-1, in the Centennial semifinals (Swarthmore advanced in penalty kicks, 4-2).

The Centennial Conference is currently 3-0 in this year’s NCAA Tournament; Conference finalist Johns Hopkins defeated Ithaca (N.Y.) in first-round action Thursday.

The skies opened up at the kick-off of the first match, bringing a torrent of rain to Clothier Field. Swarthmore used the downpour to its advantage, generating two great scoring chances. The Scarlet Raptors kept the Garnet off the board and the 0-0 score stayed on the board into halftime.

Garnet freshman David Sterngold (Muncy, Pa. / Muncy) scored Swarthmore’s first goal eight minutes into the second half. Garnet captain Rory Stackpole began the play with a long free kick to the top of the Rutgers-Camden box. Classmate Ladule Lako Lo Sarah (Davis, Calif. / Claremont) attempted to flick a header in but was denied by Scarlet Raptor goalkeeper Tim VanLiew (Deptford, N.J. / Deptford) who pushed the ball wide. Sterngold streaked in from the left wing and finished off the rebound at 53:01 for his seventh goal of the season.

Swarthmore sophomore forward Morgan Langley (Honolulu, Hawaii / Iolani) added an insurance goal for the home team mid-way through the second half, weaving through the Scarlet Raptor midfield before unleashing a low laser into the left corner at 66:55.

An even affair (four shots a side) in the second game was played on a dry surface in the first half with no score. The rains began to follow during the second period, inspiring some action.

Salisbury turned up its best chance of the night in the 62nd minute. Midfielder Alex Hargrove (Clarks Summit, Pa. / Abington Heights) dove at a Sea Gull serve, heading a sure-goal towards the right side of the Dickinson net. Red Devil goalkeeper Rodrigo Barboza (Caracas, Venezuela / Kent School [CT]) leaped to make a one-handed save to preserve the scoreless match.

Dickinson took the momentum and created its own scoring chance. Junior midfielder Dale Rodman (Cabin John, Md. / Walt Whitman) possessed the ball in the Sea Gull box, touching it away from a Salisbury defender. The pass went right to senior forward Matt Critchlow (Newton, Pa. / Council Rock North) who one-touched home his sixth goal of the season at 67:23.

Barboza made two saves on the night for his sixth shutout.

Kick-off for Sunday’s second round action is set for 6:00 p.m. at Clothier Field on the campus of Swarthmore College. Admission to the Clothier Field complex is $6 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and students, and $2 for children (ages 3 to 12). Swarthmore students, faculty and staff will be admitted for free with College I.D.


NCAA Division III First Round

Swarthmore 2, Rutgers-Camden 0
Dickinson 1, Salisbury 0

NCAA Division III Second Round

Dickinson at Swarthmore, 6:00 p.m.