For the first time ever, the Centennial Conference has two teams dancing at the Sweet 16.  And they won't be far apart, as both Johns Hopkins and Dickinson will be playing at the same location - Grantham, Pa.-  as Messiah College is the host for one of the four NCAA Division III women's soccer sectionals this weekend. 

The Red Devils (16-3-2) will meet the defending national champion Falcons (21-0) on Saturday night at 5 p.m. in a battle for Cumberland County supremacy.  Carlisle and Grantham are separated by just 12 miles and the two teams meet annually during the regular season. Messiah handled Dickinson back on Sept. 22, taking a 6-0 decision at Dickinson Park.  This is the deepest run for the Red and White in the tourney.  It was ousted from the 2005 event in the third round by Messiah, 3-1.

The Blue Jays (18-3-1) take on 11th ranked New Jersey (18-2-1) in the nightcap.  Hopkins has played all three of the teams in its upcoming sectional this season, posting a 2-2 record against Dickinson, Messiah and TCNJ in 2010. The Blue Jays fell to Messiah, 2-1, in their third game of the season at Homewood Field. JHU lost to Dickinson, 1-0, during the regular season but rebounded against the Red Devils in the Centennial Conference Championship, 3-0. Hopkins defeated TCNJ, 2-0, in a non-conference matchup at Homewood Field on October 20. The Blue Jays and Lions will meet for the 12th time on Saturday, with TCNJ holding a 9-2 lead in the series.

Johns Hopkins is one of just three schools, joining Messiah and Loras, that have both men’s and women’s soccer programs in the NCAA Sweet 16. In fact, Johns Hopkins and Messiah are the only two schools in the country that have had both men’s and women’s programs in the Sweet 16 in each of the last three seasons.

You can listen to the action of both matches, courtesy of Messiah student radio.