GREENWOOD – The No. 18-ranked Lander men’s soccer team learned its postseason fate when the NCAA announced the 38-team bracket for the 2016 Division II National Tournament on Monday evening. (Tournament Bracket)
The Bearcats (14-3-1) are the fifth-seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional and will face fourth-seeded and No. 25-ranked Limestone (15-3) at 7 p.m., Friday, at Wingate University in Wingate, N.C. The Lander/Limestone winner will take on top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Wingate (14-0) at 1 p.m, Sunday.
Lander fell to Young Harris on Sunday in penalty kicks in the Peach Belt Conference tournament championship, while Limestone lost to Pfeiffer in the Conference Carolinas title match, 5-1.
In the other half of the Southeast Region bracket, third-seeded Tusculum (16-3) will take on sixth-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne (11-4-3) for the right to meet No. 2 Pfeiffer (18-2).
The Southeast Region champion will square off against the South Region winner in the tournament quarterfinals.
In the South, top-seeded Lynn (14-1-2) will play fourth-seeded Tampa (11-4-3), and No. 2 Palm Beach Atlantic (12-4-1) will face No. 3 Florida Tech (10-4-1).
The tournament’s final four will advance to the Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Mo. for the semifinals on Dec. 1 and the championship match on Dec. 3.
Lander made the NCAA tournament last season, falling to Wingate in penalty kicks in the first round of the Southeast Regional. The Bearcats have advanced to the NCAA tournament four times in the past five seasons.
