Nov. 19, 2007

Greenville, S.C. - The 20th-ranked Furman men's soccer team will host Atlantic Sun Conference champion Campbell in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at Stone Soccer Stadium, it was revealed Monday evening during the NCAA Men's Soccer Selection Show on ESPNews. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

The Paladins (18-3-0) defeated host UNC Greensboro 1-0 in overtime on Sunday to capture their 11th Southern Conference Tournament title and seventh NCAA Tournament bid. Furman's trip to the tournament is its first since 2002 when it advanced to the round of 16.

"I'm excited for our seniors who will get a chance to play another home game," said Furman head coach Doug Allison. "They have provided excellent leadership for us all season and deserve another chance to play at home. Campbell is a strong team and Doug Hess has done a tremendous job with their program. We are looking forward to Saturday"

The winner of Saturday's match will travel to No. 2 seed Wake Forest (17-2-2) on November 28, at 7:00 p.m. The top 16 teams in the 48-team field received a first round bye and will host matches in the round of 32. The NCAA Division I Men's College Cup is set for December 14 and 16, at SAS Stadium in Cary, N.C.

Campbell, 13-5-3 on the season, is making its first trip to the NCAA Tournament after winning the A-Sun title as the third seed. The Camels dumped Gardner-Webb and host Stetson before edging Jacksonville in penalty kicks in the finals. Campbell has lost just once in its last nine matches and is unbeaten in its last five matches away from home.

Furman, who finished the season a perfect 7-0-0 in the Southern Conference, has won four straight matches and has outscored its opponents 50-12 this season. Furman is 4-6-1 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and will be hosting a first round match for the third time. Furman downed North Carolina 2-1 in overtime in 1999 on its way to a final eight run and defeated Loyola (Md.) 2-1 in 2002.

Saturday's match will mark the first meeting between the Paladins and Camels.

NCAA Tournament Bracket