The Massachusetts Maritime men’s soccer team is set to host a post-season match for a second straight season on Friday evening, as the Buccaneers begin their quest for the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament title with a league semifinal round clash at Clean Harbors Stadium beginning at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Head Coach Greg Perry’s squad finished as the runner-up in the final MASCAC regular season standings, as Massachusetts Maritime is seeded second in this year’s championships and will face third-seeded Fitchburg State in Friday’s semifinal match alongside Cape Cod Canal.  Friday’s other conference semifinal will pit top-seeded and regular season champion Bridgewater State taking on fifth-seeded MCLA at Swenson Field in Bridgewater, Mass. beginning at 7:00 p.m. EST, and the two semifinal winners will advance to play for the 2014 MASCAC crown and the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Championships on Sunday at the site of the highest remaining seed.

Perry’s Buccaneers, who finished the regular season at 7-7-2 overall that included a program-best 4-2-1 slate in league action, finished second in MASCAC play for the first time in 10 seasons, and the reigning conference Coach of the Year has guided Massachusetts Maritime to the post-season in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history.  Perry, whose 22 years of service make him the dean of MASCAC men’s soccer mentors, prepared his team for a post-season run by playing another tough regular season non-league slate, as the Buccaneers’ nine non-conference opponents boast an overall mark of 83-50-15 for a .656 winning percentage.

Junior midfielder Nick Parker (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth South) leads the Massachusetts Maritime scoring parade with six goals and an assist for 13 points, as he was named as the MASCAC Player of the Week on September 29^th after tallying four times in wins over Fitchburg State and Anna Maria.  Senior Stuart Kinsman (Granville, Mass./Southwick-Tolland) follows with four markers and a helper for nine points, while junior forward Connor McInnis (Duxbury, Mass./Tabor Academy) has also collected nine goals on three goals and three assists to date.  Freshman back Chris Beaulieu (Carver, Mass./Carver) has notched eight points (three goals, two assists) during his rookie campaign for the Buccaneers, who have also received seven points each from sophomore forward Thomas McCarthy (Tybee Island, Ga./Benedictine Military) and freshman back Michael Rouette (Three Rivers, Mass./Monson).

Perry, a three-time pick as MASCAC Coach of the Year, has molded the conference’s top defensive unit this season, as Massachusetts Maritime has allowed just 14 goals in 16 matches, including four in seven league outings alone.  Senior two-time all-MASCAC selection Rob Robbs (Braintree, Mass./Braintree), who along with Kinsman and fellow senior Dillon Jones (Sagamore Beach, Mass./Bourne) serve as team tri-captains, help anchor the middle and backfield for the Buccaneers, who have allowed one or fewer goals on 11 occasions this fall.  Sophomore Joe Cohen (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth South) has enjoyed one of the finest goalkeeping seasons in school history as Massachusetts Maritime’s last line of defense, posting an 0.76 goals against average while making 92 saves for an .885 saves percentage in 1,421 minutes of action.  Cohen, a four-time MASCAC Player of the Week honoree in 2014, has recorded all seven wins in net for the Buccaneers to go along with seven shutouts.

Fitchburg State advanced to Friday’s semifinal with a 2-0 MASCAC quarterfinal round triumph over sixth-seeded Westfield State on Tuesday evening at Elliot Field in Fitchburg, Mass., as the Falcons (9-10) received goals from sophomore Jared Burns and freshman Zachary Young as well as a 12-save shutout effort in net from senior Aidan Hanratty.  Massachusetts Maritime posted a 3-1 regular season victory over Fitchburg State back on September 26^th at Clean Harbors Stadium, as tallies by Parker and McCarthy backed a seven-save effort by Cohen.  Last fall, Perry guided his squad to its first-ever post-season triumph when McInnis scored in the closing minute of a 1-0 victory over Salem State in the quarterfinal round, as Massachusetts Maritime advanced to the semifinals before falling to regular season champion Worcester State.

MCLA advanced to Friday’s other semifinal round clash with a 2-0 triumph over fourth-seeded Framingham State on Tuesday afternoon at Maple Street Field in Framingham, Mass.  The Trailblazers battled Bridgewater State to a 2-2 double overtime draw back on October 25^th at Shewcraft Field in North Adams, Mass.

Live stats and video for Friday’s semifinal match will be available at www.mmabucs.com.