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TROY, N.Y. – For the third time in the last five years, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) men's soccer team will play in the NCAA Tournament. The Engineers play Christopher Newport University on Saturday at 7:30pm. Swarthmore College will host the game.

RPI (9-5-6), which qualified by winning the Liberty League Tournament, advanced past St. Lawrence University in the league semifinals on penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw. The Engineers then traveled to Vassar College, where they tied the Brewers, 1-1, before earning the Liberty League's automatic berth into the national event on penalty kicks.

Christopher Newport (15-3-2) received an at-large berth into the NCAA field of 62 after being defeated in the USA South Semifinals, 2-0. Swarthmore (14-2-2) and Albertus Magnus College (15-3-3) play the other first round game at that site with a 5pm kick.

In its 20 games, Adam Clinton's Rensselaer team has 10 shutouts, allowing only 15 goals. Sophomore goalkeeper Rob Dewald (Arlington, VA/Washington-Lee) has eight of the shutouts and has an overall record of 8-4-5 with a 0.62 goals against average and an .853 save percentage. He was selected to the All-Liberty League First Team.

The Engineers' defenders are led by seniors Michael Birk (Albertson, NY/Mineola), a captain who was also named All-League, and Tyler Iosue (Spofford, NH/Keene), along with junior Jared Doolan (Bend, OR/Bend). Birk has also chipped in with three goals, which is tied for second on the team.

Rensselaer, which has scored 22 goals, shows sophomore midfielder Matt Koziol (Poughkeepsie, NY/Franklin D. Roosevelt) at the top of the stat sheet. The Most Outstanding Player of the Liberty League Tournament and an All-League choice, he has a team-high 12 points on a team-best five goals with two assists. Four of his goals have been game-winners.

Junior Ryan Gracy (West Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) has six points on three goals, while seniors Zach Fane (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) and Adam Updegrove (Carson City, NV/Carson City), a captain and All-League selection, both have five points.

Rensselaer finished first in the regular season standings with a 5-1-2 league mark. The Engineers were the second seed in the four-team league tournament. Joining Koziol on the All-Tournament Team was Dewald, Doolan and Birk.

Rensselaer hosted the first two rounds of the 2009 NCAA Tournament, when it played into the second round. The Engineers defeated Eastern Connecticut State (1-0) before losing to Williams College (1-0). RPI traveled to Babson College in 2008, when it played eventual national semifinalist Stevens Institute of Technology, losing 1-0.

This is the seventh time in school history Rensselaer has qualified for the NCAA Tournament. It also participated in 1969, 1996, 1997 and 1998. RPI advanced to the second round in 1997, but lost in the first round in 1969, 1996 and 1998.

The Engineers are one of three league schools to qualify as both St. Lawrence and Vassar were also selected.