SEWARD, Neb. – Second seeded Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer will host No. 5 seed Hastings in the GPAC tournament championship on Wednesday (Nov. 13). The two teams will meet for the fifth time in 10 years in the playoff final. The Bulldogs defeated No. 3 seed Northwestern (3-2) this past Saturday in the conference semifinals.
Championship Match
GPAC Final: Wednesday, Nov. 13 vs. Hastings (10-7-2, 6-2-2 GPAC), 7 p.m.
--Live Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
--Admission: $10 for adults/senior citizens, $3 for K-12; only those with NAIA passes and GPAC student ID’s are admitted free of charge.
By the numbers
· The Bulldogs have won the tournament two times under Head Coach Jason Weides (2015, 2022) and will make their 15th GPAC tournament appearance (17 total) under the 17-year frontman. With loads of tournament experience coming back, the home team will call upon captain Iker Casanova, Martin Herrera, Ryan Wokutch, captain Ferdi Hagen, Adrian Wambua and Nolan Fuelberth to steady the storm inside the 90 minutes of play. Concordia makes the final for the fifth time pushing its semifinal visits to eight in the program’s history. The first four championship finals (2015, 16’, 17’, 22’) were all against Hastings as the two GPAC powerhouses broke even at 2-2. The Broncos took 2016 and 17’ but the Bulldogs seized the trophy in the most recent matchup.
· In the GPAC quarterfinals, the Bulldogs and Chargers were even (1-1) after 90 minutes. After two golden goal periods, the two teams remained in a draw relying on their penalty kick shooters to decide the match. Each side took five PKs and still, the game had not been decided after both made four apiece. An undersized yet scrappy defender, Spencer Kaufman, showed nerves of steel tagging the eventual game winning score past the Briar Cliff keeper. The visitors would rely on their sixth man and the Charger smacked the top crossbar as the Bulldogs reacted in pure jubilation.
· In the GPAC Semifinals, the first half was scoreless with only four total shots taken. As the rain came down in Bulldog Stadium, so did a downpouring of goals (20 total shots) as Sean Stratman (first collegiate) and Ryan Wokutch broke through in seemingly back to back scores. The Red Raiders would tie the contest with help from Concordia in an own goal plus a penalty kick via Stan van den Beld. Clutch Martin Herrera answered in the 74th minute, on a through ball feed via Kai Olbrich. The Bulldog defense would hold off Northwestern for the remainder of the game and pull off a second round win to move on to the finals.
· On Sept. 25, the defenses ruled in the first meeting with the Broncos leaving in a 1-1 draw. Hastings scored early (17’) and the home team finally responded with Herrera made penalty in the second frame. Concordia had a 10-7 edge in shots and a slight advantage in corner kicks (3-2), saves (3-2) and fouls (14-10). Herrera fired off a team high five shots.
· On Sept. 18, the 2024 season was starting to look bleak with a 1-2-4 record as Concordia hadn’t found a game winner since the season opener six games before. It would have been easy for any team to give up but around that time a motto was formed, BeNow. It was Coach Weides’ way of reminding his players to be present in the here and now, not in what should have been or what could be. Facing the visiting Red Raiders, the home team walked into the locker rooms after 45 minutes of play, yet again scoreless. But, in the 68th minute, Jarrod Henson fought off two defenders for possession and split two more with a through ball. A streaking Herrera beat his defender in road runner fashion and kicked in a goal from left to right past the outstretched hands of the NWC keeper. A man down late in the match, the Bulldogs were able to hold a talented Northwestern to a 1-0 shutout winning their first game in almost a month.
· The defensive third is ranked in many categories in the NAIA including 19th in goals allowed (15) and 13th (tied) in goals allowed average (0.78). Concordia has acquired seven shutouts (tied for 32th) and has only permitted five opposing assists in its 18 games played. Fuelberth is ranked 25th in goals allowed average (0.86). In the GPAC, he ranks first in save percentage (.791) and fifth in goals allowed (14).
· The offense enters the tournament on fire, scoring 27 goals in their last six games. Herrera paces the team with 11 total and is third in the conference. Scores can come from anyone as eight players have at least three goals this season. Behind Herrera, Ryan Wokutch (seven), D'Andre Williams (four) and Oliver Benson (four) are in front for the team in finishes. Averaging 12.1 shots per game, the Bulldogs have 44 total goals on 28 assists. Williams (six), Herrera (three), and Hugo Garrote(three) lead the team in feeds.
The opponent
The Broncos come into the championship on a four game win streak including two tournament wins against Midland (2-0) and Morningside (2-0). Tim Berger is tied for third in the conference in goals scored (11) as the team has tallied 38 total. Averaging 2.20 scores per 90 minutes, the Broncos have had 29 assists and a .140 shot percentage. Midfielder Joe Vokins has eight assists, leading the GPAC in feeds by an individual. The defense has allowed 29 goals (4th in GPAC) and put together five total shutouts. Goalkeeper Pablo Arce-Salinas has dealt two shutouts in the GPAC tournament and has played 1,122 minutes in the net this season. With 46 saves, Arce has allowed a .714 save percentage and 1.60 goals against average.
Quarterfinals – Tuesday, Nov. 5
(1) Morningside def. (8) Dakota Wesleyan, 2-0
(5) Hastings def. (4) Midland, 2-0
(3) Northwestern def. (6) Dordt, 5-1
(2) Concordia def. (7) Briar Cliff, 1-1 (5-4 PK)
Semifinals – Saturday, Nov. 9
(5) Hastings def. (1) Morningside, 2-0
(2) Concordia def. (3) Northwestern, 3-2
Championship – Wednesday, Nov. 13
(2) Concordia vs. (5) Hastings, 7 p.m.