SCIAC Tournament: 5 things to know

THE MATCHUP

Chapman returns to the SCIAC Tournament as the No. 4 seed after finishing the regular season 8-6 in the SCIAC. The Panthers travel to CMS to take on the top-seed Stags, who went 12-2 to win the regular season championship. Chapman and CMS met just once in 2018 with the Stags coming out 2-1 in overtime. In the ninth match of the season for CMS, the Panthers were the first to put a ball in the back of the net. However, CMS tied it up minutes later and the game-winner was scored on an own goal.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY

The Panthers return to the SCIAC Tournament for the sixth time since Chapman joined the SCIAC in 2012. The Panthers have qualified for the tournament in each of the last five years but have never won the tournament title. Chapman is 2-5 all-time in SCIAC Tournament play. Both of those wins have come on the road with one coming at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in 2013. Chapman has played six of its seven SCIAC Tournament matches on the road.

DEFENSE LEADS TO CHAMPIONSHIPS

It should come as no surprise that the top-4 defensive teams in the SCIAC are the four teams in the tournament. CMS led the SCIAC all year with just four goals allowed for a 0.23 goals against average. Occidental and Redlands rank two and three, respectively, with the Panthers 1.07 GAA ranking fourth in the conference. Two Chapman defenders were recognized for their work in the back as juniors Jarod Matteoni and Patrick Quinn each earned a spot on the All-SCIAC Second Team.

KEEP SHOOTING KAI

Senior Kai Howe was an All-SCIAC First Team selection this year. He led the SCIAC is shots taken and it wasn't even close. Howe took 93 shots in 2018 (the next closest player took 66). He ranks third in all of Division III with just a bit less than six per match. He put six of his shots into the netting – five of those were game-winners. His five game-winning goals were, at one time, the best in the nation. He now ranks 17th.

IN THE GOAL

The Panthers have split time in goal for most of the season but have leaned mostly on freshman Chandler Siemonsma, especially down the stretch. Siemonsma ranks second in the conference with a 0.64 goals against average this season. The only goalkeeper with a better GAA in the SCIAC will be across the field from Siemonsma in CMS freshman Jacob Mays. With both teams starting promising freshmen in the net, this could be the start of a long series of battles between the two over the next three years.

By Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director

Become a fan of Chapman Athletics on Facebook
Follow Chapman Athletics on Twitter @ChapmanSports
Post your #PantherPic to Instagram @ChapmanSports