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Greenville, S.C. – Furman begins its quest for the NCAA College Cup when the No. 16 seed Paladins host Western Michigan in the second round of the NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament Sunday afternoon on Seagraves Field at Eugene Stone III Soccer Stadium. 
 
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday and the match will be streamed live on ESPN+. Links for the live stream and live statistics will be available at FurmanPaladins.com. Admission to Sunday's match is $10 and children two years of age and under are admitted free with a ticketed adult. Furman students receive free admission with a valid school ID. Click Here to secure your tickets.
 
Furman, 14-1-4 on the season, enters postseason play riding the nation's longest winning streak at eight matches and the third longest unbeaten streak in the country at 11 games. The Paladins earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and 13^th overall by claiming the Southern Conference's automatic bid with a 1-0, double overtime victory over 19^th-ranked UNC Greensboro in the SoCon Championship Match last Sunday. Ranked No. 2 in the latest Top Drawer Soccer Top 25, No. 12 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, and 14^th in the NCAA RPI, Furman received a national seed and first round bye for the first time in school history.
 
The Paladins are 5-10-6 in 12 previous trips to the NCAA postseason and are playing in the tournament for the fifth time in the last 12 seasons. Last season, Furman advanced past 16^th-ranked North Carolina on penalty kicks in the opening round before falling to eventual national runner-up Marshall in round two. The Paladins have reached the round of 16 twice, advancing to the quarterfinals in 1999 and falling in the final 16 at Stanford in 2002.
 
Paladin head coach Doug Allison, in his 31^st and final year, has led Furman to the NCAA Tournament 11 times and is tied for 10^th among active NCAA Division I coaches with 363 career victories. Furman is led by SoCon Player of the Year and Hermann Trophy Watch List choice Diego Hernandez. The midfielder has netted nine goals and added eight assists this season for a Paladin squad that ranks fourth in the country in both goals (45) and assists (50) while ranking second nationally in total points (140).
 
Western Michigan reached the postseason by winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament as the No. 6 seed. The Broncos, who are making their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, clinched their spot in the second round by downing Clemson, 1-0, on Thursday night at Historic Riggs Field in Clemson, S.C. 
 
Sunday's match marks the first meeting between the Paladins and Broncos. The winner of Sunday's Furman-Western Michigan matchup advances to the round of 16 next weekend to face the winner of Sunday's contest between No. 1 Vermont and Hofstra.
 
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