Riverdale, NY - The Dolphins left CMSV's Riverdale campus early Friday morning to embark on the program's first ever journey to the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship Tournament. CMSV is set to face off against Rowan University in the opening round. The Dolphins' inclusion in the tournament comes off the heels of an improbable Skyline Conference championship run, where they went on to defeat Manhattanville College two goals to zero in the championship game. 

For the Dolphins, everything has started with head coach Tommy Mattera, who was the driving force behind a complete turnaround of the program, both do to his coaching style and aggressive recruiting efforts. The roster was littered with talent, ranging from Skyline Conference Rookie of the Year Carlos Romero to All-Conference selections Ian Lamas and Dennis Andino. 

The talent hasn't stopped there. Sophomore Joel Luna stepped in net for his first collegiate season and boasted an incredible record of 14-1-2 while pitching shutouts in both the semifinal and championship round. Luciano Cirelli and Matthew Babcock brought experience on defense and at midfield as seniors, while Santiago Ferrer, Antonio Padilla, Alejandro Rodriguez and Lizardo Tamaura, among others, were upper classmen that provided grit throughout the season.

And it hasn't stopped there. Fernando Guzman, Lukas Cunha and Ruben Collazos were three freshmen that stepped up immediately and took on large roles, while the first year coaching staff has done their best to rally the troops and put them in a position to succeed. 

"For the whole season, it's been one game at a time," said Mattera. "That's all Saturday is for us. It's another game on the schedule. That's how we've approached everything on this ride and we're going to continue to do that."

Rowan, CMSV's opponents, are a powerhouse NJAC contender. Coming off the heels of a championship loss to Kean University, the team will be looking to rebound in a major way. 

Kick off for the first round of the NCAA Tournament is tomorrow at 1 PM. Stay tuned to CMSV Athletics for all the action.