GENEVA, N.Y.—The Hobart Soccer team captured the 2025 Liberty League Championship by defeating Vassar 2-1 on Cozzens Field this afternoon. It was Hobart's fifth conference championship and second in the last three seasons.
This is the third time that the Statesmen have won the league's regular season and tournament titles in the same year (2017, 2023). With today's victory, Hobart earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, for its 10th trip to the dance.
Sophomore Danny Spataro was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Performer. He had the opening goal in today's victory. Junior La Zai Outerbridge led the Statesmen with three points on a goal and an assist. Senior goalkeeper Tommy Chyzowych played all 90 minutes and he made five saves in the victory.
Alejandro Martinez scored the Brewers' lone goal and Vassar goalkeeper Jacob Raphan played all 90 minutes and made eight saves.
FOR THE RECORD
- With the win, Hobart improves to 13-0-5 on the season. They enter the NCAA tournament with an undefeated record for the first time since 2008.
- Vassar falls to 11-6-3 overall.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Hobart finished the game with a 25-9 advantage in shots.
- The Statesmen had a 4-3 edge in corner kicks.
- The Brewers played the final 34 minutes down a player after receiving a red card in the 56th minute and played the final 90 seconds down two players.
MATCH MOMENTS
- Hobart controlled the game from the opening whistle. Sophomore Will Slayton had the game's first chance in the second minute. His shot from the top of the 18-yard box was turned aside by a diving stop from Raphan.
- In the 13th minute, Brady Leitner had a shot blocked off the line by a Vassar defender.
- On the ensuing corner kick, Griffin Coutts and Quinn Phillips had shots blocked by defenders.
- Chyzowych made his biggest save of the game in the 22nd minute. He dove to his right to turn aside a shot from Mauricio Mejia.
- In the 31st minute, Chyzowych made another diving stop, this time on a shot from Arden Tobolski.
- Hobart broke the deadlock 31 seconds into the second half. Spataro collected a pass from Outerbridge, took a couple of steps and bent a right-footed shot past the diving goalie. It was his third goal of the season.
- Three minutes later, Phillips nearly gave Hobart a 2-0 lead, but his shot on a free kick was smothered by Raphan.
- The Brewers nearly tied the game in the 56th minute, but Alejandro Martinez's shot was kept off the goal line by a Hobart defender.
- In the 80th minute, first-year Tommy Broderick had two shots blocked and then just missed the right goal post.
- Hobar took a 2-0 lead in the 83rd minute. Outerbridge headed home a crossing pass from junior Joe Pariano. Junior Keegan Mulroony also had an assist on the goal.
- Just under a minute later, Vassar broke up the shutout bid. Standing near the penalty spot, Martinez headed a shot just inside the right goal post. His third goal of the season was assisted by a service from Tekin Koray.
SELECTION MONDAY
The 64-team NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship field will be revealed during a selection show on NCAA.com beginning at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10. The Statesmen are one of 43 automatic qualifiers. The semifinals and championship matches are scheduled to be played at Roanoke College's Kerr Stadium in Salem, Virginia, on Dec. 5 and 7.