Sports News: Fall 2000

Tuesday, October 31, 2000

HOUNDS TRAVEL TO ELIZABETHTOWN FOR PLAYOFF MATCH

BETHLEHEM, PA --- With a third place finish in the Commonwealth Conference, the Moravian College men's soccer team clinched its first postseason berth since 1991 and will travel to second seeded Elizabethtown College for a Commonwealth Semifinal on Wednesday, November 1st at 1:00 p.m.

The Greyhounds, coming off a 1-0 win over rival Muhlenberg College on Monday, are 9-10 this season and finished 4-3 in the Commonwealth Conference regular season.  Wednesday's other semifinal has fourth seeded Lebanon Valley College at top seed Messiah College in a 7:00 p.m. match.  Moravian lost to Elizabethtown, 1-0, last week in the regular season.

This fall, Moravian is being led in scoring by senior forward Van Pham (Reading/Reading HS), who has eight goals and three assists for 19 points.  Freshman midfielder/forward Anthony Merz (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan HS) is second in scoring with 15 points on five goals and five assists.  Junior midfielder Evan Weller (Sinking Spring/Wilson West Lawn HS) has also scored five goals and added on assist for 11 points.

Freshman midfielder Tim Shannon (Leesport/Schuylkill Valley HS) and junior midfielders Scott Heydt (Boyertown/Boyertown HS) and Paul Melniczek (Philadelphia/Roman Catholic HS) have each scored four goals this season while senior defender Andrew Grezlak (Doylestown/Central Bucks East HS), freshman midfielder Brian Donofrio (Havertown/Archbishop Carroll HS) and sophomore forward Wilson Gonzalez (Bethlehem/Liberty HS) have each tallied two goals.

The Greyhound defense has been led by senior defenders Kevin Byrne (Spring Lake, NJ/ Manasquan HS) and Matt Kling (Chatham, NJ/Oratory Prep) and freshman defender Dan Shane (Allentown/Parkland HS).  Also contributing on defense have been senior midfielder Rich Tate (Warrington/LaSalle College HS) and freshman midfielder Mike Grillo (Pennington, NJ/Pennington School).  Grillo has three assists on the season while Byrne has two helpers.  Kling, Tate and Shane have each found the back of the net once this fall.

In goal, the Greyhounds have used sophomore Ryan Sculley (Bethlehem/ Northampton HS) and freshman Greg Bechtel (Reading/Exeter HS).  The duo combined for the shutout of Muhlenberg on Monday and has four shutouts and a 1.79 goals against average for the year.  Sculley has played 892 minutes with 70 saves, two shutouts and a 1.51 goals against average while Bechtel has played 798 minutes and added 58 saves, one shutout and a 2.14 goals against average.

The winner of the Commonwealth Conference Playoffs receives an automatic berth in the 2000 NCAA Division III Tournament.