Stetson (14-3-2) vs. South Florida (13-3-3) - These two teams faced each other in a preseason match with South Florida prevailing 3-0 but the game was much closer than the score indicated.  The fact that Stetson has fourteen wins means that they are a team to be taken seriously but South Florida’s quickness and the solid play of goalkeeper Jeff Attinella should enable the Bulls to advance.  The bad news is that the winner of this one must travel to face an Akron team that is 20-0-0 and still hungry.

Saint Mary’s (10-4-5) vs. Stanford (10-5-2) - Both teams will look back on the 2009 season with pride regardless of the outcome of this contest.   This is the first season that Saint Mary’s has ever reached the ten win mark.  Stanford looks to have righted the ship as they return to the NCAA Tourney for the first time since the 2002 season.  Stanford has demonstrated balance on both sides of the ball this year.  Look for junior midfielder Bobby Warshaw and senior goalkeeper John Moore to lead the Cardinal to victory over a determined but most likely outmanned Saint Mary’s team. 

Green Bay (14-2-3) vs. Notre Dame (10-7-4) - Green Bay has had an outstanding season that has likely created a  new standard of excellence for the program.  Junior midfielder JC Banks leads a Phoenix attack that can score in multiples when in gear.  Green Bay is back in the NCAA Tourney for the first time since the 1983 campaign.  Notre Dame is dancing for the ninth consecutive season.  The Irish have not had the success to date this year that many thought they would but then again they have had several very impressive wins and did advance to the Big East Tournament Championship match were they lost to St. John’s in penalty kicks.  Senior forward Bright Dike (10g, 3a) is among the best in the country.   This one will be determined by who controls the middle third. 

Missouri State (12-4-2) vs. Saint Louis (14-6-0) - Missouri State won the regular season MVC title with a 7-1-1 record in league play but they were upset by Evansville 2-1 in the Conference Tourney.  Goalkeeper Alex Riggs has been brilliant between the pipes for the Bears.  Saint Louis has flown just under the radar screen throughout the 2009 season but began to emerge down the home stretch winning seven out of their last eight contests including wins over Rhode Island and Dayton to win the A-10 Tourney title.  Sophomore Mike Roach (10g, 2a) is the key to the Billiken attack. 

Stony Brook (6-9-4) vs. Brown (10-2-5) - Stony Brook is one of the two teams in the NCAA Tournament field with a losing record.  However, the Seawolves are unbeaten in their last seven contests.  Stony Brook defeated Hartford and UMBC in the America East Tourney to win the league’s automatic berth.  Freshman Leonardo Fernandes (7g, 2a) and Berian Gobeil (5g, 2a) have been at the heart of the Stony Brook attack.  Redshirt freshman Anthony Rogic was outstanding in goal for the Seawolves in the America East Tourney.  Brown comes into the match off an impressive 3-0 win over Dartmouth.  Senior midfielder Nick Elenz-Martin (5g, 4a) leads a balanced Brown offense that has tallied a total of thirty-one goals.  Junior goalkeeper Paul Grandstrand anchors a Brown defense that has limited opponents to a total of fourteen goals.  

Louisville (13-2-4) vs. Indiana (10-9-1) - Louisville looked to be a team that would be in contention for one of the top sixteen seeds.  Indiana is a team that usually earns one of the top sixteen seeds but this year they struggled to earn an at-large berth based on their win-loss record.  The Hoosiers played one of the most competitive schedules in the country but no matter how you spin it this has not been a vintage year to date for the Hoosiers who were 3-3-0 in Big Ten play.  Louisville thumped Indiana 4-0 when the two teams faced each other on October 21 in regular season play in a match played in Louisville.  A win in this contest will be a momentum builder.  This is clearly one of the toughest first round matches.

Dartmouth (10-6-1) vs. Boston College (12-8-0) - A veteran Dartmouth squad began the season with high hopes and great expectations but neither the hopes or the expectations have totally materialized.  Dartmouth has had a good but not great season.   The Big Green have lost four out of their last six matches including a 3-0 wood shedding at the hands of Brown in their last outing.  Daniel Keat (7g, 6a) and Lucky Mkosana (8g, 3a) lead the Dartmouth attack.  Boston College is an explosive team capable of  beating anyone in the country on a given day as reflected in wins over Wake Forest, North Carolina and Duke. Charlie Rugg (6g, 5a), Edvin Worley (5g, 4a) and Kevin Mejia (5g, 0a) are all capable finishers. 

Western Illinois (8-9-2) vs. Drake (13-6-2) - Western Illinois secured their berth in the tourney by defeating IUPUI 1-0 and UMKC 1-0 to win the Summit League Tourney Championship.  Senior midfielder Martin Browne, Jr. leads the Leatherneck attack.  Western Illinois and Drake met in regular season play on October 7 with Drake coming out on top 1-0 in a contest that easily could have gone the other way.  Drake topped Creighton 3-1 and Evansville 2-1 to secure the program’s first ever MVC Championship.  Senior forward Garrett Webb (11g, 4a) powers a Bulldog attack that has found the back of the net forty-two times so far this year.