Riding a wave of uncharted emotions, the Drake men's soccer team visits No. 5 North Carolina for an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup against the Tar Heels on Friday (Dec. 4) at historic Fetzer Field.  The Bulldogs will be tested by the 2008 national runners-up in a 5:00 p.m. CT start.   

Live stats and video streaming will be available at www.ncaasports.com. 

The winner of Friday's match advances to the College Cup in Cary, N.C., for a meeting with the winner of the Akron/Tulsa showdown on Dec. 11.  

SCOUTING THE TAR HEELS
North Carolina (15-2-3) is coming into play off a 1-0 home triumph over Indiana on Sunday (Nov. 29).  Sophomore Billy Schuler paces the Tar Heels in goals (9), scoring (22), shots (53), shots on goal (30) and game-winners (7), while ranking second in assists (4).  Senior Brooks Haggerty directs North Carolina in net, having posted 44 saves and owning a 0.57 goals against average.

SERIES HISTORY
Drake will be squaring off against North Carolina for the first time in school history.  The encounter will mark only the third overall meeting between the Bulldogs and a school from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), with Drake earning a 6-4 victory against Boston College last Sunday (Nov. 29) after dropping a 3-0 decision to Duke on Sept. 3, 1995 in Omaha, Neb.

THE COACHES
North Carolina: Elmar Bolowich is in his 21st campaign, leading the Tar Heels and maintains a 263-140-23 record (.644).

Drake: In his 12th season on the Drake sidelines as head coach is Sean Holmes, who owns a 103-101-24 mark (.504), including 181-127-26 (.581), overall in his 17th year as a head coach.

DRAKE HEAD COACH SEAN HOLMES
Sean Holmes was named head coach at Drake in 1998 and is in his 12th season at the helm of the Drake men's soccer program. Under Holmes, the Bulldogs have posted an 103-101-24 record and have built a legacy of excellence on Drake's campus and in the Missouri Valley Conference. Holmes is dedicated to the ideal of developing the whole student-athlete.

Holmes led the Bulldogs to a school-record 13-5-1 mark in 2008, including six-consecutive shutouts to open the season. Drake finished second in the MVC with a 4-1-0 record and made its first-ever NCAA tournament appearance, receiving an at-large bid. The Bulldogs were nationally ranked for the final 11 weeks of the season.

Holmes came to Drake after serving as the top assistant at conference-rival Evansville from 1995-98. During his tenure at Evansville, the Aces compiled a 47-30-6 record, winning the 1996 MVC championship. The team, which he helped build, garnered an NCAA Tournament berth and a top-20 ranking.

Holmes was head coach at Baker University in Baldwin City, Kan., from 1989-93, compiling a 78-26-2 record, leading the 1991, 1992 and 1993 teams to NAIA District 10 championships. Holmes also served as director of the Olympic Development Program in Kansas for two years.

Holmes was named NAIA Midwest Coach of the Year in 1992, and NAIA District 10 Coach of the Year in 1992 and 1993. He was the Heart of America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1991.

Holmes holds a USSF 'A' level coaching license and is a member of the Region II staff for the Olympic Development Program. He serves as a staff coach for the Iowa Soccer Association, and also served as age group coach for both the 1978 and 1984 Region II teams. He was an assistant coach at the 1994 U.S. Olympic Sports Festival in St. Louis, Mo.

TIDBITS ON DRAKE AND NORTH CAROLINA

• Drake is 0-1-0 all-time versus schools from North Carolina or the Tar Heel State. The Bulldogs dropped a 3-0 decision versus Duke on Sept. 3, 1995, in Omaha, Neb.

• Friday's game at North Carolina will mark the first time Drake has traveled to the state of North Carolina for a game in school history.

• The Bulldogs will be meeting North Carolina in an NCAA Tournament game across all sports for the first time since 1969 when Drake bested the Tar Heels (104-84) in the consolation game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four in Louisville, Ky.

• Drake also is participating in its first NCAA Elite Eight matchup since the women's basketball squad fell in the West Regional final to Maryland, 89-78, in Palo Alto, Calif.

BULLDOGS, TAR HEELS SHARE TWO COMMON FOES
Drake and North Carolina played two common opponents this season in Evansville and Boston College.  The Tar Heels defeated the Purple Aces, 4-0, on Sept. 6, before falling 2-1 to the Eagles on Oct. 17.  The Bulldogs bested Boston College, 6-4, last Sunday (Nov. 29) after going 2-1 against Evansville this fall.  Drake earned 1-0 and 2-1 victories over the Purple Aces on Oct. 10 and Nov. 15, respectively, while falling 1-0 at Evansville on Oct. 23.

DRAKE PULLS OUT DRAMATIC 6-4 COMEBACK WIN AT BOSTON COLLEGE
NEWTON, MASS. - Senior Luke Gorczyca (Overland Park, Kan./St. Thomas Aquinas) picked an opportune time to net his first career multi-goal game as his game-winning goal in the 69th minute (68:52) lifted Drake to a come-from-behind 6-4 NCAA Tournament victory over Boston College on Sunday (Nov. 29).

The 10 goals scored between the Bulldogs and Eagles match the third highest total in NCAA Tournament history set on four previous occasions, with the last occurring in a 5-5 tie between Penn State and Temple in 1985.

It marked the third consecutive season that a team from the Missouri Valley Conference has reached the Elite Eight with Drake joining Creighton (2008) and Bradley (2007).

The contest proved to a cornucopia of goals with both sides recording and allowing as many or more goals than in any of their previous contests this season.  Boston College had not surrendered more than two tallies in any game this season, while only Memphis had registered four tallies in a 4-3 Bulldog loss on Sept. 13.

Karl Reddick got the scoring started in the affair, accepting a through ball from Mor Avi Hanan to find himself 1v1 with Drake redshirt junior goalkeeper Michael Drozd (Hardwood Heights, Ill./Loyola Academy) and he capitalized, netting his second goal of the season at the 17:35 mark to give Boston College a 1-0 lead.

The Eagles pushed the margin to 2-0 off a successful free kick by Avi Hanan that found the upper left 90 of the net in the 30th minute (29:19).

Drake cut the deficit in half when redshirt sophomore Michael Noonan (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) came out of a scrum in the box, nailing a deflection off of goalie Justin Luthy for his fifth goal of the year in the 31st minute (30:59).  Earning the assist on the play was senior Garrett Webb (Prairie Village, Kan./Shawnee Mission East).

The contest appeared to be headed into halftime at 2-1 in favor of Boston College, but senior Kevin Shrout (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee's Summit) had other ideas as he followed a deflection off his own free kick outside the box to net the equalizer with 14 ticks left in the first half (44:46) and send the game into the intermission tied at two.

Just before the goal, Drozd got tangled up in a hard collision in the box and was down for several minutes before finishing out the half.  He started the second half but was replaced by redshirt sophomore Jordan Kadlec (Hiawatha, Iowa/Cedar Rapids Kennedy) after a Drake defender and Drozd collided in the box at the 46:24 mark, allowing Charlie Rugg to convert for Boston College, putting the Eagles ahead, 3-2.

From that point on the contest took on the feel of something surreal as the two sides combined to score five goals over the final 33:17.

Getting the onslaught started was Webb, who collected his team-leading 13th goal of the year on a wild play in the 57th minute (56:43) where he nailed a header that deflected off the crossbar and bounced down just over the goal line.  The referee initially waved off the tally, but after conferring with the side linesman, who had raised his flag for a goal, the score was posted with an assist to junior Nick Foster (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley).

The score remained deadlocked at three until Gorczyca began a span of 1:10 where three combined goals were scored.  Shrout set up a free kick after a Boston College foul and was able to get the ball into the box where Gorczyca flicked the ball into the net to give the Bulldogs their first lead of the afternoon at the 67:42 mark.

The advantage was short-lived as the Eagles knotted the affair at four on Kyle Bekker's fourth tally of the year in the 69th minute (68:44), off a one-timer.

Eight seconds later (68:52), Gorczyca scored the game-winner in similar fashion to his first goal, to put Drake ahead to stay.

Junior Matt Kuhn (Raytown, Mo./Raytown South) added the game's final score off a header on a feed from Foster at the 82:35 mark. 

The Bulldogs garnered a 17-13 advantage in shots in the game with Kuhn pacing Drake with four shots. 

Luthy led all players with three saves for the Eagles, while Kadlec collected one stop in 39:03 for the Bulldogs.

The tilt was a feisty one defined by physical play with 35 combined fouls called and five yellow cards issued.

DRAKE NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Drake is making in its second consecutive NCAA Tournament after qualifying for the event for the first time in school history a season ago.  The Bulldogs are 3-1 all-time following their 6-4 victory at Boston College last Sunday (Nov. 29).  A year ago, Drake nearly pulled the upset at Saint Louis as a goal with four seconds left in double overtime earned the Billikens a 1-0 triumph.

Drake 1, Ohio State 0 (Nov. 22, 2009)
COLUMBUS, OHIO - In the midst of a scrum came a golden goal as Luke Gorczyca found the back of the net at the 96:56 mark of overtime that lifted 24th-rated Drake to a 1-0 victory over No. 13 Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 22 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

Setting up the play was a ball from sophomore Thomas Ostrander (Fort Dodge, Iowa/St. Edmond Catholic) that went into the box and created the action out of which Gorczyca emerged with his fifth goal of the season.

The Bulldogs were outshot in the affair, 11-10, but Drake garnered a 4-1 advantage on shots on goal.

Gorczyca led the Bulldogs with a team-high three shots, while senior Julien Edwards (Ottawa, Ont./De La Salle) registered two shots.

The defensive effort by the Bulldogs' starting four of Edwards, senior Calvin Clark (Overland Park, Kan./St. Thomas Aquinas), senior Brian Wurst (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill South) and Nick Foster proved to be the difference in the affair.  The quartet consistently denied the Buckeye attack, clearing countless balls from the box.  Michael Drozd collected Drake's eighth shutout of the season, pulling in one save.

The game started as a battle of two equally matched teams looking to attack the other with shots coming at a premium in the initial 15 minutes
The Buckeyes' best scoring chance came at the 20:43 mark when Konrad Warzycha nailed a free kick from the top of the box that Drozd made a diving save to his left to deflect the ball out of bounds and end the threat.

Sam Scales followed with a shot that was blocked in the middle of the box at the 24:41 mark.

Drake's first scoring opportunity came in the 29th minute (28:28) when Garrett Webb fed a ball into the box that Matt Kuhn headed just off the mark.
Junior Evan Harrison (Evansville, Ind./Reitz Memorial) nearly capitalized off a tight pass from Kevin Shrout that nailed the side of the net at the 35:50 mark.

Edwards' header off a Kuhn corner went high over the net at the 42:56 mark.

Ohio State bested Drake in the first half in shots, 9-7, with five different Bulldogs registering shots.

The second half went back and forth as both side had scoring threats that were denied with fine defensive efforts.

Drake outshot the Buckeyes in the second half, 4-3, but was unable to find the back of the net.

Drake 2, Western Illinois 1 (Nov. 19, 2009)
DES MOINES, IOWA - Senior Garrett Webb's game-winning tally at the 7:44 mark lifted 24th-rated Drake to its first-ever NCAA Tournament win with a 2-1 triumph over Western Illinois on Nov. 19 at the Cownie Soccer Complex.

Drake made its defining statement coming out of the gate in its first-ever home tournament contest as Brian Wurst needled a pass through the box that a diving Kevin Shrout headed into the net to beat Western Illinois goalkeeper Stephen Paterson to the lower right corner for his fourth goal of the year at the 3:31 mark.

Scoring what proved to be the game-winning tally in the eighth minute (7:44) was Webb, who leaped high above the Leatherneck defense to win a serve from Nick Foster and earn his then team- and conference-best 12th goal on the year with a header to give Drake a 2-0 lead.

The Bulldogs had scored on their first two shots of the contest but Western Illinois cultivated its own scoring opportunities as Drake held a slim 9-8 advantage in shots in the first half.

Controlling tempo in the final 45 minutes was the Bulldogs' mission and it held serve until they were whistled for a foul in the box that set up a Husref Jupic, a Des Moines, Iowa, native, for a penalty kick at the 78:15 mark.  Jupic converted and cut the margin to 2-1.

Drake garnered an 18-16 margin in shots led by a game-high six shots from Shrout.  Jupic and Kevin Hinds paced the Leathernecks with three shots apiece.  The Bulldogs also received three, two, two and two shots, respectively, from Webb, Wurst, Luke Gorczyca and Matt Kuhn.

Paterson pulled in four saves for Western Illinois, while his counterpart Michael Drozd registered two saves for the Bulldogs.

Saint Louis 1, Drake 0 (2OT) (Nov. 21, 2008)
ST. LOUIS, MO. - A Kyle Hayes' goal with 4.1 seconds left in the second overtime lifted Saint Louis University to a 1-0 victory past Drake in the first round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship.

Hayes goal came off a free kick after Drake goalkeeper Michael Drozd was given a yellow card with six seconds left when he collided with Charles Bryce of Saint Louis.

Both teams had battled on even terms through 109-plus minutes, braving temperatures which dipped to a 16-degree wind chill.

With the clock ticking down and the game destined for a penalty-kick shootout, Bryce chased down a long clearance by teammate Tim Ream. He beat out several Drake defenders and got to the ball near the top-right corner of the box before he collided with Drozd. The subsequent yellow card that was issued to Drozd stopped the clock with six seconds remaining.

On the restart Angus sent a curling ball that found its way near the goal line. Hayes, stationed on the line, managed to get his left foot on the ball and tip the ball into the upper netting.

Drake had a chance to win with four minutes left in the first sudden death overtime period as Kenan Malicevic (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Cedar Valley) had a chance off a corner kick but his shot was blocked by Saint Louis goal keeper Pat Disbennett who made a quick reaction to his right to knock the ball over the end line.  In the second overtime Kevin Shrout had a shot from 15 yards out go high off the net.

Saint Louis edged Drake in shots with a 16-15 advantage. In the second half Drake outshot the Billikens, 8-6.  Drozd had six saves for the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs had their best chance at scoring during regulation early in the second half. Malicevic snuck in behind Saint Louis' defense, collected a pass but had his shot stopped on a save by Disbennet.  Luke Gorczyca got the rebound but was denied by Disbennet.

Drake threatened to get on the board first midway through the first half on a shot by Hunter Kennedy (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington) in the 20th minute, followed less than a minute later on a header by Garrett Webb that was wide.

Malicevic led Drake with four shots, including three shots on goal.

EXPERIENCE KEY FOR DRAKE IN TOURNAMENT RUN
The Bulldogs boast one of the most experienced teams left in the NCAA Tournament starting six seniors, three juniors and two sophomores.  The experience has paid off as seven of the Bulldogs' nine goals have come from seniors, with five of the top six shot producers being seniors.  Drake has outshot its opponents, 45-40, including 19-10 on goal, while corners are tied, 13-13.

NOVEMBER A DEFINING MONTH FOR THE BULLDOGS
The month of November proved to be a defining month for Drake as the Bulldogs posted a 6-1-1 mark, with the only blemish on the ledger occurring in a 3-2 overtime setback at Missouri State on Nov. 1.  Leading the charge with nine, four and three goals, respectively, was Garrett Webb, Luke Gorczyca and Kevin Shrout, while Michael Noonan and Kenan Malicevic each contributed two goals.

DRAKE ON A ROLL
The Bulldogs' current seven match unbeaten streak is tied for the longest in school history, equaling the string set during the 2007 campaign when Drake posted a 5-0-2 mark from Sept. 28 - Oct. 20.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER
Last Sunday's game at Boston College was a welcome site for a pair of Bulldogs as senior Julien Edwards and head coach Sean Holmes, both Ottawa, Ontario, natives had large family contingents in attendance as the drive from Ottawa south of the border to Boston is only eight hours. Holmes' father Derek, has been in attendance for four of the last five games, including making the 12-hour trek to Columbus, Ohio, and was joined by Holmes' mother, sister and college teammate. For Edwards, his parents Ray Edwards and Lisanne Lacroix, along with his sister Karelle Edwards, a student at Syracuse, came to support the Bulldogs.

BULLDOGS NO. 24 IN SOCCER AMERICA NATIONAL POLL
The Bulldogs climbed into the top-25 of the final regular season Soccer America poll as Drake checked in at No. 24.

DRAKE NO. 24 IN LATEST NSCAA NATIONAL POLL
Drake returned to top-25 of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) national poll released on Nov. 17 at No. 24.  The Bulldog had received votes for three consecutive weeks after being ranked in the top-25 for three weeks earlier in the year.

BULLDOGS THIRD IN NSCAA MIDWEST REGION POLL
Drake held steady at No. 3 in the final regular season Midwest Region as released by the NSCAA on Nov. 9.  Tulsa is the regional leader, followed by Missouri State, Drake, UAB, Kentucky, Creighton, Marshall, Oakland, Evansville and Memphis.

DRAKE WINS MVC CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 2-1 WIN OVER EVANSVILLE
DES MOINES, IOWA - When the final horn sounded a euphoric jubilation poured out of the Drake men's soccer team as the Bulldogs swarmed one another and then their head coach Sean Holmes as Drake had captured its first-ever State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Soccer Championship with a 2-1 victory over Evansville (Nov. 15) at the Cownie Soccer Complex.

The win was 12 years in the making for Holmes, who by virtue of the Bulldogs' triumph had registered his 100th career coaching victory at Drake and more importantly had collected the school's first automatic NCAA Tournament berth.

The Bulldogs won their championship behind a defensive unit that for the second consecutive contest saw its opponents hold a decisive advantage in shots, as Evansville owned a 23-12 differential.

A testament to the Bulldogs' starting defensive backline of Calvin Clark, Julien Edwards and Brian Wurst, along with sophomore Thomas Ostrander, was their resolve as their efforts were the cornerstone to Drake's efforts in securing the victory.

Ostrander was elevated into a starting assignment for Nick Foster, who was forced to miss the game due to a post-match extra-curricular incident following Drake's 3-1 victory over Creighton on Nov. 13, and he responded.

Michael Drozd was equally impressive in net, recording seven saves, including several spectacular stops, to go along with a pair of critical team saves.

The Bulldogs began the scoring in the affair in the 27th minute (26:29) when Michael Noonan fired a shot from outside the top of the box which effortlessly floated like a perfect knuckleball past Evansville goalkeeper Phil Boerger to give Drake a 1-0 lead.  A short touch pass from sophomore Hunter Kennedy provided the assist on Noonan's fourth goal of the season.

The Purple Aces squared the affair at one at the 31:35 mark when Mike Luttrull fired a shot inside the 18 off passes from Tad Kreamalmeyer and Robby Lynch.

The game-winning tally came after Evansville was whistled for a trip just outside the right of the box, setting up a free kick by Kevin Shrout.  Converting on the opportunity, Shrout fired a shot that bent through and deflected off the Evansville defense into the net for his third goal on the campaign.

The score held up through staunch defensive play by the Bulldogs the rest of the half as Drake earned its way into the field of 48 in the NCAA Tournament.

Shrout paced the Bulldogs with three shots, while Noonan, Garrett Webb and Matt Kuhn added two apiece.

Clark was named as the tournament Most Valuable Player and Webb, Edwards and Shrout joined him on the all-tournament team.

WEBB PROPELS DRAKE TO FIRST-EVER TITLE GAME WITH 3-1 WIN OVER CREIGHTON
DES MOINES, IOWA - Garrett Webb scored a pair of goals to lift Drake to its second State Farm MVC Championship title match with a 3-1 victory over league nemesis Creighton on Nov. 13 at the Cownie Soccer Complex.

The win was the first in six tournament encounters with the Bluejays.

After battling to a 3-3 double-overtime tie with Creighton (Nov. 7), Drake was able to overcome a slow start that saw the Bulldogs getting outshot in the first half, 11-6, and 21-9 for the game.

Webb gave Drake the early 1-0 lead as his header off a play from the corner of the box by Nick Foster resulted in his 10th tally of the year at the 39:34 mark.

The defense, though, failed the Bulldogs in the 45th minute (44:23) as Drake's inability to properly clear the ball out of the box resulted in Ethan Finley's eighth goal of the season to send the contest into the intermission tied at one.

The momentum swung back in favor of the Bulldogs at the 48:31 mark when Luke Gorczyca knocked in a header off a free kick from the corner of the box by Kevin Shrout to give Drake a 2-1 advantage.  The goal was the fourth of the year for Gorczyca.

Webb then completed his third consecutive multiple-goal match with an end-to-end sequence that resulted in his team-leading 11th tally of the campaign in the 64th minute (63:32).  The play was set-up by a brilliant defensive play by Brian Wurst, who rejected the Creighton offensive attack deep in the Drake end and then drove the ball up the sideline before slicing a feed into redshirt sophomore Michael Noonan who sent a touch pass to Webb for the goal.

Webb, who has scored seven of his team-leading 11 goals in the last four contests, netted tallies on his only two shots of the night, while Noonan also contributed a team-high two shots to the Drake cause. 

Michael Drozd pulled in a game-high eight saves for the Bulldogs, while his counterpart Brian Holt registered one stop.

FROM A PRESENCE TO A FORCE
Over the course of his four-year career, Garrett Webb, a 2009 Hermann Award Watch List candidate, has gone from being a presence in the Missouri Valley Conference to a nearly unstoppable force and his play of late has exemplified this.  Nine of Webb's team- and league-leading 13 goals have come in Drake's last eight games, including two each in the Bulldogs' contests against Eastern Illinois and Creighton (twice).  Those nine goals have come on 17 shots, including 13 shots on goal.

GORCZYCA NAMED TO CSN NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK
Luke Gorczyca was honored for his efforts in helping the Bulldogs to a pair of NCAA Tournament victories last week as he was selected to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week.

Gorczyca registered the game-winning goal in Drake's 1-0 overtime win over No. 13 Ohio State on Nov. 22 on a wild play in front of the net.  Thomas Ostrander played the ball out of the corning spinning around the defender and got the ball into Gorczyca, who tipped the ball with his foot up and over the goalkeeper and just barely across the goal line for his fifth tally of the season.

On the season, Gorczyca is tied for first on the team in game-winners (3) and ranks second in goals (7).

WEBB NAMED TO TOPDRAWERSOCCER.COM NATIONAL TEAM OF THE SEASON
Senior Garrett Webb hauled in another honor last week as he was named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com 2009 Men's College Soccer Team of the Season as a third-team national selection.

Webb, who led the Bulldogs to their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory over Western Illinois, 2-1, on Nov. 19 at the Cownie Soccer Complex, was the lone Missouri Valley Conference player honored.

WURST BECOME INITIAL FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA HONOREE IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Drake continues to break the mold as a national-best three Bulldogs were named to CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America teams led by Brian Wurst, who became the initial first team Academic All-America honoree in school history.

Joining him on the second and third teams, respectively, were Matt Kuhn and Calvin Clark.

The Bulldogs' three selections marked the most of any school in the country in the university division (Division I), besting Akron and South Carolina, who garnered two selections each.

The trio represent the first Bulldogs to be honored since Adam Zenor captured third team honors in 2004 and Matt Sahag second team accolades in 2002.

A management major, Wurst maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA.  He has started all 24 games at his defender position for the Bulldogs, who have recorded eight shutouts this season.

An accounting major, Kuhn owns a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average.  He has started all 24 games for Drake and is second on the team in assists (8).

Majoring in corporate finance, Clark boasts a 3.73 GPA.  Starting all 24 games for Drake, Clark has recorded two goals and added an assist from his starting defender's slot.  He is an anchor of a Bulldog defensive unit that has posted eight shutouts.

WEBB NAMED MVC PLAYER OF THE YEAR; SIX BULLDOGS GARNER ALL-MVC ACCOLADES
Led by Garrett Webb, who was tabbed as the 2009 Missouri Valley Men's Soccer Player of the Year, six Drake student-athletes garnered All-MVC accolades as announced by the league on Nov. 12.

Webb and fellow seniors Kevin Shrout, Luke Gorczyca and Julien Edwards were tabbed as first team selections, while Calvin Clark and Matt Kuhn were selected to the All-MVC second team.

A three-time first team all-conference selection, Webb became only the second Drake player to garner MVC Player of the Year recognition, joining Jesse Baker, who shared the award in 2005. 

Collecting first team honors for the second straight year was Shrout, who has started all 23 games he has appeared in for the Bulldogs this season and leads the team in shots (52) and assists (8). 

After earning second team laurels each of the past two campaigns, league coaches elevated Gorczyca to first team recognition as he has recorded seven goals and two assists in 24 games for Drake this season.

Named to the All-MVC first team for the second consecutive year was Edwards, who helped anchor a Drake defensive unit that posted eight shutouts.  Edwards has appeared in 22 contests for the Bulldogs and owns a goal on four shots on goal.

Having started all 24 games for Drake as a junior, Kuhn garnered second team honors, ranking second on the squad in assists (7).

Clark capped his collegiate career with second team accolades this fall after garnering honorable mention All-MVC recognition as a junior.  Starting all 24 games for Drake, he has netted a pair of goals, while chipping in an assist from his defensive spot, where he has helped anchor a defensive unit that has posted eight shutouts this season.

BULLDOGS NET MVC-HIGH SIX FIRST TEAM ALL-MVC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE SELECTIONS
Drake men's soccer head coach Sean Holmes is a big proponent of the college experience, not just encompassing the playing aspect but more importantly the value of a quality education and his players have taken that to heart as the Bulldogs had a Missouri Valley Conference high six student-athletes named to the All-MVC Scholar-Athlete first team.

Brian Wurst, Drake's first-ever CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team honoree, was a unanimous choice, along with Matt Kuhn, who was named to the Academic All-America second team.

Joining Wurst and Kuhn on the first team are Calvin Clark, Kevin Shrout, Luke Gorczyca, along with redshirt junior Ted Schleisman (Verona, Wis./Middleton).

WEBB NAMED MVC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Garrett Webb was selected as the MVC Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Nov. 9.  The honor marked the second of the season and third of his career for Webb.

Webb turned in a defining week for Drake, registering four goals on only five shots on goal to lead the Bulldogs to a 1-0-1 mark.  He scored a pair of tallies on three shots in a 4-1 victory at Eastern Illinois (Nov. 4).

In the Bulldogs' regular season finale against Creighton (Nov. 7), he recorded a season-high six shots, including three on goal, en route to scoring two goals against the Bluejays.  His first tally gave Drake a 1-0 lead and his second goal may have been his biggest of the season as with the Bulldogs trailing 3-2 he netted the equalizer with 1:50 left in regulation to send the contest into overtime where it ended in a 3-3 tie.

WEBB NAMED TO CSN NATIONAL TEAM OF THE WEEK
Garrett Webb was rewarded for his outstanding play a week ago, being tabbed to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week after registering four goals in two games for the Bulldogs.

Webb capitalized on nearly every shot on goal he attempted against both Eastern Illinois and Creighton as he tallied four goals on only five shots on goal.

BULLDOGS HONOR EIGHT SENIORS
The Bulldogs honored eight seniors before their final regular season home contest versus Creighton (Nov. 7) as Calvin Clark, Brian Wurst, Julien Edwards, Kevin Shrout, Ted Schleisman, Luke Gorczyca, Garrett Webb and Tom Spiess (Roseville, Minn./Totino-Grace) were recognized for their career accomplishments.

FOUR BULLDOGS EARN FIRST TEAM ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT HONORS
Drake men's soccer earned recognition for its efforts in the classroom as four Bulldogs were tabbed as first team CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America all-district VII selections.

Named to the first team were Matt Kuhn, Kevin Shrout, Calvin Clark and Brian Wurst.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution.  Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games at the position listed on the nomination form (where applicable).

An accounting major, Kuhn maintains a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average.  He has started all 24 games for Drake and is second on the team in assists (7).

A management and marketing major, Shrout, who was named to the Hermann Award Watch List, owns a 3.4 GPA.  He has started all 23 games he has played in and is first on the team in shots (52) and in assists (8), while adding five goals.

Majoring in corporate finance, Clark boasts a 3.73 GPA.  Starting all 24 games for Drake, Clark has recorded two goals and added an assist from his starting defender's slot.  He is an anchor of a Bulldog defensive unit that has posted eight shutouts.

A management major, Wurst maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA.  He has started all 24 games at his defender position for the Bulldogs, who have recorded eight shutouts this season.

GORCZYCA BECOMES SCHOOL LEADER IN GAMES PLAYED
With his appearance against Ohio State (Nov. 22), Luke Gorczyca became Drake's new leader in career games played with 80.  He surpassed the previous mark set by Chuck Grinstead, who played in 79 games for the Bulldogs from 1987-90, and has now appeared in 81 games.

MARCHING TOWARDS BULLDOG HISTORY
Garrett Webb has registered 31 goals in 80 career games for second all-time at Drake.  He is one goals from surpassing Matt Nickel (31/2001-04) for second place.  Webb also ranks second in games played (80), third in career points (78), fourth in shots (161) and sixth in assists (16) for the Bulldogs.  Matt Kuhn sits third in career assists (19), while senior Kevin Shrout has recorded 153 career shots and is three shots behind Jesse Baker (156/2002-05) for fifth all-time, while ranking ninth in career assists (15).  Redshirt junior goalkeeper Michael Drozd ranks fifth, fifth, sixth and eighth, respectively, in wins (25), shutouts (11.0), game played (39) and saves (120).

STINGY DEFENSE
The Drake defensive backline of starters Julien Edwards, Calvin Clark, Brian Wurst and Nick Foster has teamed with goalkeepers Michael Drozd and Jordan Kadlec to be one of the toughest teams in the MVC to score against in 10 league contests.  The unit surrendered 11 goals en route to posting three shutouts.

RAISING THE BAR
With the Bulldogs' 2-1 victory over Bradley on Oct. 28, the squad achieved double-figure wins in consecutive seasons for only the second time in school history and first since the 1987 and 1988 Drake teams won 11 and 10 games, respectively.

DEFENDING THY PITCH
Drake has done an outstanding job of defending its home turf in league contests as the Bulldogs own a 12-1-4 mark in their last 17 home MVC affairs.  Drake's last league loss before falling to Missouri State, 2-1, on Oct. 17, came at home versus No. 7 Creighton on Oct. 23, 2004.

DRAKE EARNS FIRST-EVER VICTORY AT CREIGHTON
Thomas Ostrander's goal in the 48th minute (47:05) provided No. 19 Drake all the scoring it needed in a 1-0 victory over Creighton (Oct. 14) to earn the program's first-ever road victory against the Bluejays.

The win marked only the second triumph for Drake over Creighton, the preseason MVC favorite, in 27 meetings, and the first victory in Omaha in 15 games.

The setback dropped Creighton to 56-6-3 at home all-time in MVC play, including 21-3-2 at Morrison Stadium. The Bluejays had been 13-1-1 at home against nationally-ranked teams at Morrison Stadium before Drake's victory.

EARNING HIS POINT
Michael Drozd has been solid for the Bulldogs in net this season but his contributions have extended to the offensive end of the field as well.  His booming leg has resulted in a pair of assists this season, including on Thomas Ostrander's game-winning goal with 1:37 left in regulation in a 1-0 victory over Evansville (Oct. 10).  Drozd is believed to be the first Bulldog goalkeeper to register multiple assists in school history in a single season.  He also added a helper on Matt Kuhn's game-winning tally versus Marquette.

OVER OUR LAST FIVE GAMES
The Bulldogs own a 5-0-0 mark in their last five contests, with three of the last five occurring at home.  Five Drake players have registered a goal, with Garrett Webb and Luke Gorczyca leading the way with four goals each.  Webb and Kevin Shrout leads the team in scoring in that span with nine points each.  Shrout paces Drake with 14 shots.  Michael Drozd and Jordan Kadlec have been peppered by 84 shots in that span in goal and have recorded 24 saves.

BULLDOGS BITES  

• A 6-4 victory by the Bulldogs over Boston College gave Drake its school record 16th win of the season, surpassing the 13 wins established in 2008.

• Drake's 2-1 victory over Bradley (Oct. 28) marked the 175th in the coaching career of Sean Holmes.

• Thomas Ostrander has turned in a strong league campaign for the Bulldogs, having netted three goals in 10 games. His tally at Creighton gave the Bulldogs their first-ever victory at Creighton and only the second in series history.

• Senior Calvin Clark and Kenan Malicevic were named to the all-tournament team at the Holiday Inn at the Plaza UMKC Invitational. Malicevic led the Bulldogs with a pair of goals and an assist on a team-high seven shots in two games, while Clark added a goal on two shots.

• As a team, Drake ranks seventh, 25th and 65th, respectively, in the NCAA in scoring offense (2.13), winning percentage (.708) and shutout percentage (0.33), Garrett Webb is rated 29th and 30th in goals per game (0.57) and points per game (1.35) and Kevin Shrout is ranked 72nd in assists per game (0.35).

• After registering five shutouts a year ago, Michael Drozd picked up where he left off last season, having pitched shutouts against DePaul (2-0), Marquette (2-0), Western Illinois (1-0), Evansville (1-0), Creighton (1-0) and Ohio State, while sharing a combined shutout against Oral Roberts with Jordan Kadlec. Kadlec notched a shutout of his own in a 3-0 win versus Eastern Illinois (Oct. 21).

• Kevin Shrout has converted both his penalty kicks this season against Marquette and Western Illinois.

• Webb has turned in his third, fourth, fifth and sixth multi-goal games of his career with his two tallies against DePaul, Eastern Illinois (Nov. 4) and Creighton (Nov. 7 & Nov. 13).

BULLDOGS DEFINE CHARACTER IN FACE OF ADVERSE CONDITIONS
In a testament to its character and credentials as a worthy NCAA Tournament team, Drake earned a 2-2 double-overtime tie at No. 17 Northwestern (Sept. 25), despite playing a man down for the final 31 minutes of regulation and overtime.  The Bulldogs trailed in the contest, 2-1, with less than four minutes to play when Garrett Webb sent the game into overtime with the equalizer at the 86:30 mark.  Drake had an opportunity to steal the victory in the second overtime as Calvin Clark's shot in the 107th minute (106:36) was corralled by Northwestern goalkeeper Jonathan Harris.

WEBB AND SHROUT NAMED TO HERMANN WATCH LIST
Drake men's soccer seniors Garrett Webb and Kevin Shrout were among those named to the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Watch List, considered the highest individual honor in intercollegiate soccer.

They became the first Drake players to be named to the list in program history, placing them among 38 Division I student-athletes that comprise the 2009 Watch List.  Drake was one of five schools nationally to place two student-athletes on this prestigious list, joining Monmouth, Tulsa, UCLA and Wake Forest. Only Creighton and Loyola of Maryland had more nominees with three apiece.

The recipients of the MAC's Hermann Trophy are selected by Division I head coaches who are current members of the NSCAA.  Fifteen semifinalists are to be selected by a coaches committee in November, with three finalists announced in early December.  The finalists will be invited to the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Mo., for a news conference on Jan. 8, 2010, where the winner will be announced with a presentation banquet following.

HERMANN AWARD UPDATE
Garrett Webb and Kevin Shrout, Drake's Hermann Award candidates, continue to shine for the Bulldogs this season.

Garrett Webb
2009 - Has started all 23 games he has played in and leads the Bulldogs in goals (13), points (31), shots on goal (26) and game-winners (3)...rated 29th and 30th in the NCAA in goals per game (0.57) and points per game (1.35)...picked up Drake's third tally in a 6-4 NCAA Tournament victory over Boston College last Sunday (Nov. 29)...selected by TopDrawerSoccer.com to its 2009 Men's College Soccer Team of the Season as a member of its third team...netted game-winning goal in Drake's 2-1 NCAA Tournament victory over Western Illinois (Nov. 19)...named to MVC All-Tournament team after scoring two goals in a pair of contests...posted back-to-back-to-back multiple-goal efforts against Eastern Illinois (Nov. 4) and Creighton (Nov. 7 & Nov. 13)...has registered nine of his team-leading 12 goals in the last eight games...collected a team season-high six shots, including netting the equalizer with 1:50 left in regulation versus the Bluejays in a 3-3 double-overtime tie...earned MVC Offensive Player of the Week accolades for his efforts against Eastern Illinois and Creighton, as well as being named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week...scored game-tying goal that forced overtime at No. 25 Missouri State...credited with assist on Thomas Ostrander's game-winning goal to provide Drake with a 1-0 victory at Creighton, its first-ever win on the Bluejays' home field and only the second in series history...earned assist on Ostrander's game-winning goal with 1:37 left in regulation in a 1-0 victory over Evansville, who came into the game as the top-scoring unit in the MVC...added an assist in a 3-1 road victory at Bradley, Drake's first win on the Braves' home field since 2002...registered a game-tying goal and an assist in the Bulldogs' 2-2 double-overtime tie at No.17 Northwestern...netted both goals in Drake's 2-0 season-opening victory over DePaul...accounted for the Bulldogs' lone tally against No. 22 Michigan...owns the top individual game marks for Drake in goals (2), while recording a team-best five shots in a 2-1 win at UAB...ranks first in the MVC in points per game (1.35), goals per game (0.57), second in game-winning goals (0.14) and eighth in shots per contest (2.17).

Kevin Shrout
2009 - Has started all 23 contests for Drake in which he has played and is first on the team in shots (52) and in assists (8)...had a hand in three of Drake's six goals in a 6-4 NCAA Tournament victory at Boston College last Sunday (Nov. 29), registering a goal, while also adding two assists, including on Luke Gorczyca's game-winning tally...scored the Bulldogs' first-ever NCAA Tournament goal at the 3:31 mark of Drake's 2-1 victory over Western Illinois on Nov. 19...named All-MVC Scholar-Athlete first team selection...credited with game-winning goal in the Bulldogs' 2-1 victory over Evansville to capture the 2009 State Farm MVC Tournament title on Nov. 15...earned MVC all-tournament laurels...netted an assist on Luke Gorczyca's game-winning goal in Drake's 3-1 MVC Tournament victory over Creighton, its first win in tournament play against the Bluejays in six games...collected assist on Thomas Ostrander's goal against Missouri State...registered game-winning tally on a second-half penalty kick at Western Illinois in a 1-0 Bulldog victory, their first over the Leathernecks since 2003...named MVC Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 5)...recorded pair of assists from his defender's slot in a 3-1 road victory at Bradley, Drake's first win on the Braves' home field since 2002...first goal of the season came after he converted a successful penalty kick versus Marquette...registered a team season-high five shots against No. 22 Michigan...added four shots in a 2-0 victory over Marquette...ranks fifth in the MVC in shots per game (2.26) and assists per contest (0.35) and eighth in points per game (0.78).

BULLDOGS PICKED SECOND IN MVC RACE WITH LEAGUE-BEST FIVE PLAYERS GARNERING PRESEASON HONORS
The Missouri Valley Conference released its 2009 Preseason Men's Soccer Coaches Poll on Aug. 18 and the nationally-ranked Drake program was tabbed to finish second, while placing a league-best five players on the preseason All-MVC squad.

The Bulldogs, who returned a conference-high 10 starters, garnered 27 points, including one first-place vote to outdistance Evansville (23 points), Missouri State (18 points, one first-place vote), Bradley (15 points) and Eastern Illinois (nine points).  Creighton was selected as the preseason favorite to win the league crown with 34 points and four first-place tallies.

Drake senior defender Julien Edwards, senior midfielder Luke Gorczyca, junior midfielder Matt Kuhn, senior midfielder Kevin Shrout and senior forward Garrett Webb were among 14 players named by a vote of the six MVC head men's soccer coaches to the All-MVC Preseason team. It marked the second consecutive season that Gorczyca, Shrout and Webb have been recognized on the preseason unit.

WINS VERSUS LOSSES
In their 16 victories this season, the Bulldogs are averaging 14.6 shots, 4.8 corner kicks and 3.7 saves, while their opponents garner 13.1 shots, 5.3 corner kicks and 3.7 saves. In its six setbacks, Drake is recording 14.2 shots, 6.3 corners and 2.2 saves, while seeing the opposition average 11.7 shots, 3.7 corners and 4.8 saves per game.

UP NEXT
The winner of Friday's match advances to the College Cup for a meeting with the winner of the Akron/Tulsa showdown on Dec. 11 in Cary, N.C.