After an incredible regular season, the draw for the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament has been set and there will be a local derby in the first round, with No. 22 Seattle University making the cross-town trip to take on No. 26 University of Washington (12-6-1) at Husky Soccer Stadium on Thursday (6:00 p.m. PT). Both sides feature Sounders Academy alums, adding an additional layer to a long-standing local soccer rivalry.
The winner will move onto the next round, where it’ll face Sounders Academy product Nick Hinds and the No. 5 Akron Zips. Here’s everything you need to know.
Key Players
Handwalla Bwana (University of Washington)
Head Coach Jamie Clark moved Bwana into a deep-lying midfield playmaker role to start the season. The reigning Pac-12 Freshman of the Year excelled in this new spot, especially in transition, but as the Huskies’ offense began to falter midway through the season, Clark shifted the team into a more traditional 4-4-2 and moved Bwana up top. As a player who thrives in the open field, inviting pressure before ghosting past challenges, he tends to drop into midfield, receive a pass on the half-turn and drive between the lines. Bwana is an absolute nightmare for opponents when he’s got the ball at his feet in the final third.
Alex Roldan (Seattle University)
The younger brother of Sounders FC midfielder Cristian Roldan, the Redhawks star is an exciting attacking prospect. After playing out wide his first two seasons, Head Coach Pete Fewing shifted the younger Roldan into a central role last season. It paid dividends immediately, freeing him up of some of his defensive duties and allowing him to drive the offense forward. Roldan built upon his breakout junior campaign, in which he tallied eight goals and three assists, with a fantastic senior season, recording six goals and seven assists. The Redhawks tend to play a 4-2-2-2 formation, with Roldan and Sergio Rivas operating as attacking midfielders.
Previous Meeting
The two sides met only once this season, ending in a 2-0 road win for the Huskies.
Comparing Styles
After a midseason formation switch, the Huskies have consistently lined up in an empty-bucket 4-4-2. They tend to swing the ball around the back before finding the feet of John Magnus, another Sounders Academy alum, who then plays direct, line-breaking passes out to the wings or to the feet of Bwana. The Redhawks, on the other hand, tend play a more aesthetic brand of soccer, building attacks out of the back, progressing the ball through midfield before allowing Roldan and Rivas to unbalance opponents in the final third.
Three Matchups to Watch
Handwalla Bwana vs. Anthony Ayala
What makes Bwana such an attacking force is his ability in the open field and in 1v1 situations. Up against Ayala, one of the best 1v1 defenders in the nation, he’ll have his hands full on Thursday night. The Sounders Academy alum is a shifty dribbler, expertly awaiting the slightest shift in balance from his defender before shifting gears and ghosting past him. But in Ayala, he’ll have his toughest matchup the season.
Blake Bodily vs. Ivory Randle IV
While Bwana is the driving force behind the Huskies’ offense, Bodily followed in his footsteps by collecting this year’s Pac-12 Freshman of the Year award. But in Randle, who spent five years in the Sounders youth system, he’ll face a formidable opponent. Bodily is a pacey, technical winger who can either drift inside or get to the end-line and whip in crosses. Randle, on the other hand, is a dynamic, two-way outside back who brings an element of physicality.
Josh Adachi vs. Seif Kerawala
Both squads owe their spots in the NCAA Tournament to the stellar play of their goalkeepers. Adachi started the campaign on a bit of a shaky note, but after working closely with goalkeeper coach Jeff Koch, who starred for F.C. Seattle Storm back in the 1980s, he’s developed into a well-rounded ‘keeper, culminating in a man-of-the-match performance against UNLV in the WAC Tournament semifinals. Kerawala, a Sounders Academy product who made several appearances for Sounders FC 2, came alive late in the season, earning Pac-12 Player of the Week honors for the week of October 23-29.
