NASHUA, N.H. – With an 8-2-2 conference record, the Rivier men's soccer team earned the No. 2 seed in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Postseason Tournament. The Raiders will play host to No. 7 Emmanuel (Mass.) for a GNAC Quarterfinal battle Saturday, Nov.1 at Joanne Merrill Field with kick-off is scheduled for noon.
Under second-year head coach Jon Cross, the Raiders clinched back-to-back postseason appearances, earning the opportunity to host for the second straight year. Following a slow 1-4-3 start, Rivier found its rhythm in the ninth game of the year with a 2-0 victory over conference foe Albertus Magnus, a rematch of the 2024 GNAC Quarterfinals. Building off that momentum, Rivier closed out the regular season with six straight conference wins, setting a program record with eight GNAC victories, breaking a mark that had stood since 2000.
During their unbeaten October run, the Raiders outscored opponents 20-7 and posted three shutouts. The stretch also included the program's first-ever wins over GNAC rivals Norwich and Colby-Sawyer.
Offensively, sophomore Alejandro Quezada and first-year Tanner Keenan led the charge with 13 points each. Keenan tallied a team-high six goals and one assist, earning GNAC Player and Rookie of the Week honors. Quezada followed with five goals and three assists. First-year David Pereira added 11 points (four goals, three assists), while classmate Vincent Arsenov led the team with four assists.
In goal, senior Logan Clough ranked second in the GNAC with a 0.930 goals-against average, third with an .800 save percentage, and fifth with 56 saves. He recorded four shutouts, eight wins, and four draws across 14 appearances, earning GNAC Goalkeeper of the Week recognition once this season.
The last meeting between the Saints and Raiders came on Sept. 13 at Roberto Clemente Field, ending in a 1-1 draw. Emmanuel's top performers this season include Lucas Slivia who has recorded 12 points on four goals and four assists, and Rafael Matamoros with 11 points coming by way of four goals and three assists. In net, Owen Sliva served as the Saints' primary goalkeeper, posting a 1.31 goals-against average and a .788 save percentage.
The winner of Saturday's matchup will advance to the GNAC Semifinals to face the winner of No. 3 Regis vs. No. 6 Norwich on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
