ALBANY – The College of Saint Rose begins its quest for a national championship Sunday when the Golden Knights will host the University of Bridgeport in an NCAA Tournament second round match. Kickoff is set for noon at Sullivan Field at the Plumeri Sports Complex. The game will be streamed live and may be viewed for free at www.gogoldenknights.tv.

Saint Rose (21-0-0) earned a first round bye, while Bridgeport advanced with Friday's 3-1 victory versus Franklin Pierce at Sullivan Field. The Golden Knights own a 5-0 lead in the all-time series with the visiting Purple Knights.

Sunday's winner will meet either American International or C.W. Post in a third-round match on Friday, November 19 to decide the East Regional champion at a site to be determined. The Atlantic Regional champion is scheduled to host the East Regional champion in a national quarterfinal match on Sunday, November 21; with the winner advancing to the national semifinals in Louisville.

Saint Rose, which is ranked #1 in the NSCAA/HendrickCars.com NCAA Division II Poll, won its fourth consecutive Northeast-10 Conference Tournament title last Sunday with a 3-0 triumph versus Franklin Pierce. The Golden Knights thus remain one of only two (Central Missouri) unbeaten or untied teams in the country (Division II) while joining the Ravens and Merrimack College as the only clubs to win four straight league championships.

Eighteen different players have figured in the scoring column for the Golden Knights, including 16 who have recorded at least one goal. Junior midfielder Christina Cuffari has produced a team-leading 33 points with 10 goals and 13 assists. She is one of three players in school history to reach double-digits in goals and assists in a single-season. Freshman forward Carmelina Puopolo is also in that trio having put up 31 points on 10 goals and 11 helpers.

Senior backs Katie Whiting, Kelly Guerin and Coco Ebersole anchor a defense, along with sophomore Meagan McKinney, that has shut out nine of its last 11 opponents and owns a slim 0.29 goals-against-average, which ranks fourth in the nation (Division II). Saint Rose has allowed a mere six goals all season, one in the first half.

Senior keeper Deanna Esposito, who was named Most Outstanding Player of the NE-10 Tournament, leads the country with a 0.19 GAA and a 0.946 save percentage. She continues to add to her school record win total (21) and is in the midst of a 753-minute scoreless streak that covers 10 games.

As for Bridgeport, the Purple Knights (14-3-2) are playing in their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament. Two years ago, they advanced to the East Regional championship match where they fell 3-1 to Saint Rose. The Purple Knights are paced by senior All-Conference forward Linda Velaj who has 47 points on 20 goals and seven assists. She accounted for all three strikes throughout Friday's victory versus Franklin Pierce and entered the week seventh among the nation's top point producers with 2.56 per-game.

Saint Rose is 11-7-1 all-time in NCAA Tournament contests. The Golden Knights have advanced to five regional championship games, including last year when they took a 1-0 win over Franklin Pierce. That victory helped solidify the program's second consecutive national semifinal appearance.

NCAA TOURNAMENT CENTRAL