This Friday, November 6 the Houghton College Highlanders square off against the Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks in the semifinal round of the Empire 8 conference tournament at 2:00 p.m. at Ithaca College's Carp Wood Field.
 
The Highlanders (9-6-2, 4-2-1 Empire 8) enter the tournament as the #3 seed.  The Ducks (13-3-2, 5-0-2 Empire 8) hold the #2 seed.
 
Stevens has won the last eight Empire 8 conference tournament championships.  2015 represents the first year since 2009 that the Ducks have not hosted the tournament.
 
Due to its provisional NCAA status, this year's tournament represents the first time that Houghton College has competed for a conference crown.
 
Included at the end of this article are some interesting facts about the Empire 8 tournament and participating teams, courtesy of the Empire 8 Conference.
 
Visit the Men's Soccer Tournament Site
 
Last Time They Met:
The teams played to a scoreless draw at Stevens on Saturday, September 26, 2015. 
 
Houghton had its best opportunity to score in the final two minutes of the first half, but the Ducks keeper made a strong save to preserve the clean slate.

Both teams went back and forth in the early part of the second before a header from the Ducks sailed wide. The hosts continued the pressure with three late shots, but none found the frame. 

Stevens produced two more chances in extra time, but Houghton keeper Jacob Dunnett (Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Kennebecasis) stopped the first, while the second went wide.

Stevens outshot the Highlanders, 17-8, for the game. Dunnett finished with six saves.
 
By the Numbers/How They Match Up:
 

				Offense					Defense
Team	W	L	T	GF	Avg/G	Shots	SOG	Corners	GA	Avg/G	Shots	SOG	Corners	Shutouts
2. Stevens	13	3	2	47	2.611	301	140	100	17	0.944	152	71	47	8
3. Houghton	9	6	2	30	1.765	262	115	71	23	1.353	202	82	70	5

 
What to Expect:
Expect a close game.  Over the past four years all four regular-season meetings between these two teams have resulted in either a tie or a one-goal game. 
 
Stevens is a big, physical team.  They rely on possession and are organized well out of the back.  They are also an experienced team, with a projected starting lineup of five seniors and three juniors.
 
The Ducks are known, offensively, for utilizing their outside wings to play balls into the box and relying on their size and strength to score goals.  They are also adept at utilizing set pieces well.
 
While the Ducks have seen little shift in their lineup since their last meeting with the Highlanders, Houghton has gone through a number of significant changes, primarily due to a season-ending injury to team captain and center back Jesse Toth (Victor, NY, Victor).
 
While it took a few games for the team to find its stride after the loss of Toth, the Highlanders are currently clicking on all cylinders, winning their final three regular season games by a total of 11-2.
 
Coach Webb stated, "Confidence is high for us.  We have become more flexible and dangerous.  Our current ability to go forward is as good as it's been all season."
 
Younger than their counterparts—the Highlanders projected lineup contains three seniors and two juniors—Houghton relies on speed, quickness and possession in their attack.
 
 The most intriguing part of this matchup, though, may be the site itself. 
 
Both teams' home stadiums boast artificial surfaces.  Ithaca College, however, which hosts this year's tournament, plays their contests on natural grass. 
 
While Coach Webb does not foresee the surface creating any tactical changes for either team, it will slow things down a bit.  The results of which will be interesting to watch.
 
Key Players:
For the Ducks: more than half of this year's offensive output has come from two players, senior attacking players Colin Phillips and Carson Pryor.  Both players are big, strong, and athletic.  Both have tallied 14 goals this season, though Pryor played less than 60% of his team's minutes this season.
 
Phillips played particularly well at the season's end, scoring eight goals in the team's final five contests, including three in the season finale against Nazareth College.
 
While the Stevens attack led the Empire 8 in scoring this season, the defense proved equally impressive, leading the conference in shutouts and fewest goals, shots, shots on goal and corner kicks allowed.
 
For the Highlanders: numerous players have played the hero's role throughout the season, though after Toth's injury the team has grown increasingly reliant on its younger players. 
 
Freshmen Ben Lawrence (Marlborough, CT, RHAM High School) and Andrew Bussey (Leicester, England, Rosslyn Academy) have been utilized in different ways in the second half.  Capitalizing on their speed and creativity the pair have posted 67% of their points in the team's last six games. 
 
Fellow attacking players Tyler Ashley (Landisville, PA, Hempfield) and Mitch Beattie (Maitland, Ontario, St. Mary Catholic) have also picked up the scoring slack for the Highlanders, posting five goals and four assists since being moved from the back to the front in the 12^th game of the year.
 
Goalkeeper Dunnett and his defenders finished the regular season ranked second in the conference in shots, shots on goal and corners allowed.
 
Highlanders vs. the Rest of the Field:
 
Saturday, Oct. 10 vs. Ithaca, at Houghton, Lost 0-2
Game notes: The Bombers posted both goals with in 5:30 of each other, as Sam Boylan finished a penalty kick in the 10^th minute and Brandon Thompson finished a breakaway.  Ithaca held a 17-13 shot advantage.
 
Saturday, Oct. 17 vs. Elmira, at Elmira, Lost 1-3
Game notes: Michael Bryant (E8 leader in goals and points) scored a header in the 40^th minute and a penalty kick in the 55^th for the Soaring Eagles.  Houghton narrowed the margin with a goal by Steven Anderson (Lyndonville, NY, Lyndonville Central) in the 78^th minute but could not find the equalizer.  With the defense up, Zach Koller tallied the final goal for Elmira in the 89^th minute. 
 
Houghton held a slim advantage in shots, 18-17.
 
Empire 8 Men's Soccer Conference Tournament Facts:

• Ithaca has qualified for 11 tournaments - missing 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
• Stevens has qualified for every tournament since joining the conference in 2007-08.  
• Houghton is participating in its first E8 postseason tournament. 
• Elmira is making its fifth tournament appearance and first since 2012. 
• There have been co-champions three times (2003, 2005, 2012) which resulted in a PK shootout to determine the NCAA automatic qualifier.
• There have been 15 overtime games throughout the history of the tournament.
• The tournament has played out according to seeding three times - in 2010, 2013 and 2014.
• The #1 seed is 10-3 in the semifinal game of the tournament. #2 seed (7-6), #3 seed (6-7), #4 seed (3-10).
• The #1 seed has won or tied the conference championship seven times (2002, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014).
• The #2 seed has won or tied the title three times (2005, 2008, 2009)
• The #3 seed has won or tied the conference title three times (2004, 2006, 2012).
• The #4 seed has won or tied the title three times (2004, 2005 and 2006).
• 2015 marks the sixth time Ithaca will serve as the number one seed and first since 2008. 
• Ithaca has played in the championship game three times and had a 1-1-1 record.
• Ithaca owns a 4-5-5 E8 tournament record
• This will be the third time Stevens is the No. 2 seed. 
• Stevens is 14-0-2 in E8 tournament games, including a 7-0-1 mark in the title game.
• Houghton, as an NCAA provisional member, can win the Empire 8 championship but cannot advance to the NCAA tournament.  If such a scenario would arise the runner up team would claim the AQ.
• Elmira has never won a men's soccer title and has only advanced to the title game once (2011).
• The Soaring Eagles are 0-3-1 in the E8 tournament all-time.