�þ���Ƶ

Members of the �þ���Ƶ women’s soccer team and their supporters learn the team will have home-field advantage in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Friends, family and administrators joined the �þ���Ƶ women’s soccer team Monday to find out that the Raiders would host Rutgers in the first round of the NCAA tournament Saturday at 7 p.m.

After 20 minutes of anticipation, the women’s team erupted with cheers when their school’s name was finally revealed as hosting the NCAA match-up, only the second time in program history (Syracuse 1998).

“It’s fantastic to be back at Van Doren Field for another game,” head coach Kathy Brawn said. “It was something that was an outside possibility, but now that it’s a reality we’ll be well prepared for it.”

And well prepared they will be after posting a record of 11-5-4 in the regular reason and 4-1-2 in the Patriot League. The Raiders were crowned Patriot League champions Sunday after defeating Navy 1-0 in Annapolis, Md., to bring the title back to Hamilton.

“The chemistry on this team is amazing,” Brawn added. “We’ve got great leadership from our seniors and our three captains in particular with Alyssa Manoogian, Jillian Kinter, and Ashley Walsh. It’s been fantastic so far and the big reason for our success has been that team morale.”

The Raiders will take the pitch against a very tough Rutgers team (12-7-1), which will be making its seventh NCAA tournament appearance. But the Raiders have one thing the Scarlett Knights don’t … home-field advantage.

“We saw Rutgers our sophomore year and we gave them a good game even though they came out with the win,” senior Alyssa Manoogian said. “We were a good team that year but I think that this team now is at a different level. They’re a great team, they are always in the tournament, so we are looking forward to being able to prove ourselves against a team that has some respect.”

Manoogian added that she thinks each player on the team as an individual brings something unique to the table.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling,” senior Jillian Kinter said. “We’re still on cloud nine from winning the championship yesterday. This just adds to it and I couldn’t be more excited.

“Especially playing on our home field. We’ve come so far and the amount of work that all 24 of us have put in it just feels like its finally paying off.”

�þ���Ƶ is led by Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year Kinter as well as PL Rookie of the Year Catherine Williams. Both players sit atop the stats sheet with more than 10 goals each.

Walsh will also be a key factor in Saturday’s game as she looks to once again anchor the Raiders defense. Walsh was named Patriot League Tournament MVP after she posted back-to-back shutouts to lift her �þ���Ƶ to its 12th title.

“I think everyone is just very excited that all our friends and family won’t have to travel to far,” Walsh said. “All the seniors get to play on Van Doren for one last time and not many teams get to do that.

“Although this is an NCAA game and the stakes are much higher, we’re going to go out and prepare the same way we have for every other game this season. We all have the same mission, we’re all dedicated and that’s only going to help propel us through the rest of our season.”

Saturday’s game is the 10th time these two soccer programs have faced each other, with Rutgers holding the advantage 6-1-2. The last time these two teams matched up was on Aug. 27, 2010, with the Scarlett Knights taking the win 4-1. At the time Rutgers was ranked No. 17 in the country.

“To have the players be able to be on their home field, particularly the seniors, for at least another game is a phenomenal way for us to be entering this NCAA tournament,” Brawn said.