Montclair, NJ – The Montclair State men's soccer team is heading back to the NCAA Division III Tournament. The was made official on Monday as the Red Hawks secured one of the 21 at-large selections into the field of 64 teams in a live announcement on NCAA.com.

Ticket prices are $6 for adults and $3 for children and senior citizens.

The Red Hawks are not only in the national tournament, they will open up latest appearance at MSU Soccer Park this Saturday, November 13. MSU faces Gordon College (12-5-2) in the first of two matches at 1:00 pm. St. Lawrence (12-6-1) and Washington College (MD) (13-4-1) square off in the other contest with the winners meeting in the second round on Sunday, November 14 at 3:00 pm.

Montclair is making its 20th overall appearance in the Division III Tournament and 14th in the last 17 seasons. MSU made three trips to the College Division Tournament in 1968, 1969, and 1972. Montclair State is 26-22-1 overall in those previous 23 appearances, including a 24-19-1 mark in its Division III berths. That record includes a trip to the Final Four in 2011 and Elite 8 berths in 2007, 2012, 2013, 2018 and 2019.

Montclair State is 16-3-1 on the season and went 8-1 in NJAC play winning the regular-season championship. The Red Hawks fell to Rowan University, 1-0 in the tournament semifinals last week and its three losses this season have all be by a one-goal margin, two coming in overtime.

The matchup between the Red Hawks and Gordon in the first round will be just the second all-time meetig, the last coming in the 2017 season opener in Massachusetts. Montclair State won that contest, 1-0 as DIMITRI MATARAS scored with 6:35 left in regulation. Mike Saalfrank stopped three shots to record the shutout.

Montclair brings a solid offense and equally stingy defense into Saturday's first-round matchup with Gordon. On the offensive front, 15 different players have found the back of the net, including NJAC Rookie of the Year AMER LUKOVIC, who leads the group with 16 goals and 37 points. Junior JANBI KAGHADO is next with seven goals with freshman JOSIAH CRAWFORD (six assists), the NJAC Midfieler of the Year, and junior GENE CARLO ALTAMIRANO each adding five. Freshman REED KARSEN has scored six times and MICHAEL CASPER has collected a team-best eight assists. Montclair is averaging nearly three goals per game (2.85) and has more than double its opponents in shots taken, 342-155.

Defensively, MSU has been equally as impressive allowing just 11 goals in 20 matches this season with 12 shutouts. That includes a run of eight straight shutouts from September 18 through October 13. Senior SHANE KEENAN has posted seven of those along with a 10-1 record in goal. Keenan has given up just two goals and has registered a 0.19 goals against average and .929 save percentage making 26 stops. Senior ANDRES LEZME has made 27 saves in 11 appearances with two shutouts.

MSU will face a Gordon squad that is riding high after capturing the Commonwealth Coast Conference championship over the weekend. The Scots, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, upset top-seed Endicott College to reach the title game before posting a 2-1 double-over win against No. 3 seed Salve Regina. Luckson Dambo netted the game-winner with six seconds left in the second OT period. Brody Veleber stopped a season-high 10 shots.

Gordon has outscored its opponents in a 2-to-1 margin this season (48-21) and has outshot its opponents, 318-188. Chase Gwynn leads the Scots with 19 goals and 43 points and has six game-winning tallies. Ryan Modzeleski and Jarvin Ramirez had 13 and 10 points, respectively. In goal, Veleber has stopped a 72 shots with a miniscule 1.07 goals against average in 18 games along with two shutouts.

Washington College is making just its second NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 1973. The Shoremen are in after claiming their first Centennial Conference championship with a 2-0 victory over Gettysburg on Sunday. Eric Gwadz had a goal and assist with James Strine providing the only goal Washington College would need. Anthony Pinto registered the shutout in goal.

While the Shoremen are making their second appearance, St. Lawrence is in for the 23^rd time as the Saints claimed the Liberty League crown, beating Ithaca, 3-1 for its ninth conference title since 2004. Michael McDougald netted a goal early in the first half and Max Mogul scored early in the second for a 2-0 St. Lawrence lead. Ithaca closed to within a goal with 20 minutes remaining however, Marvin Sibanda added an insurance goal on a penalty kick with 10:24 to play.

Montclair State's history with the remainder of the field is limited. The Red Hawks have never face St. Lawrence in its history and has met Washington College just twice, one of those coming in their third game of the season, a 3-1 win on September 5 of this year. Lukovic scored twice with Kaghado adding another in the win.