Men's Soccer | 10/31/2014 10:53:00 AM

 
STORYLINE
The Huskies finish the regular season on Saturday at Lock Haven with the opportunity to clinch a PSAC Tournament first round bye – if it hasn't already been clinched through West Chester's match on Friday.
 
LAST MEETING
(Box Score) The Huskies blanked Lock Haven for a 1-0 home win on Oct. 26, 2013. Chris Pawlowski (Philadelphia/LaSalle) scored the only goal of the match, breaking through just seconds before halftime with a one-timer past the Lock Haven keeper. Bloomsburg held a 13-7 edge in shots for the match.
 
SCOUTING LOCK HAVEN
The Bald Eagles hope to snap a five-game losing streak as they celebrate Senior Day at Hubert Jack Stadium, a place they've posted a 2-6 record at this season. Since a 4-3 overtime win at Gannon on Oct. 11, the Bald Eagles have suffered setbacks vs. Cal U, Slippery Rock, Shippensburg, Millersville and Mercyhurst. Lock Haven ranks 10th in the conference in scoring with 1.3 goals per game and ninth in defense, surrendering an average of just over two goals per game.

Sophomore Troy Amspacher leads the team in scoring with seven goals on the year to rank inside the conference's top 10 scorers this fall. In net, senior Jonathan Howitt has started 14 matches with a 1.70 GAA and 39 saves with two shutouts.
 
LAST TIME OUT
(Box Score) Austin Transue (Langhorne/Neshaminy) lifted the Huskies to a 2-0 non-conference road win at Washington Adventist on Tuesday. The Huskies defense tallied their eighth shutout of the season with Jacob Pesarcik (Whitehall/Whitehall) in net, who recorded his first career shutout. Bloomsburg dominated the match, outshooting Washington Adventist by a 29-4 margin.
 
IN THE RANKINGS
The Huskies are ranked fourth in the all-important NCAA Division II Atlantic Region poll with the top four teams from each region advancing into the NCAA Tournament. Bloomsburg also is receiving votes in the national Top 25. Lock Haven is unranked.
 
PLAYOFF SCENARIOS
The Huskies may have their playoff fate decided before ever stepping onto the pitch Saturday at Lock Haven. Bloomsburg needs only a tie Saturday to clinch the No. 2 seed in the PSAC Tournament bracket and a first round bye into the PSAC Final Four. The Huskies can also clinch the second seed in the conference playoffs regardless of their own result - with a loss or tie from West Chester in its remaining two matches. WCU hosts California (PA) on Friday and remains at home Saturday vs. Slippery Rock. The PSAC Final Four will be held next Friday-Saturday at top-seeded Mercyhurst in Erie. If Bloomsburg were to fall to the No. 3 seed, it would host a quarterfinal match on Nov. 4.
 
HISTORY-MAKING SEASON
Bloomsburg has enjoyed one of the finest years in program history this fall. The Huskies enter the weekend with 11 victories – the most since 2002 and just two away from the all-time school record of 13 set in 1979 when the Huskies finished 13-1-0.

Opponents have scored just 15 goals this year – marking one of the best defensive performances in school history. The lowest total of goals allowed in a season is 10, but the Huskies have tied the BU record for season shutouts with eight. The record previously was held by the eight shutouts from the 1982 team.

Freshman Jared Ott (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan) also is just one shutout away from the season record of eight set by Eric Pettis in 1982.

Bloomsburg has reached the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2011 and is seeking its first conference championship. The Huskies are also working to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.
 
STAT LEADERS
Bloomsburg has a three-way tie atop its goal leaders list as Transue, Spencer Conrad (Enola/East Pennsboro) and Anthony Cerda (Budd Lake, NJ/Mount Olive) all have five goals apiece. Transue and Conrad are tied for the points lead with 12 each while Cerda has 11 with Matt Zima (Newtown/Council Rock North) and James Kiama (Shippensburg/Shippensburg) adding 10 points apiece.

Ott is 10-4-1 in the net with an 0.91 GAA and 46 saves in over 1,287 minutes while Pesarcik has seen time in five matches with a 0.62 GAA over 290-plus minutes.