SEWARD, Neb. – After an opening round that finished in penalty kicks, Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer will move on to the semifinals facing No. 3 seed Northwestern on Saturday (Nov. 9). The second-seeded Bulldogs outlasted (1-1, 5-4 PKs) No. 7 seed Briar Cliff in the opening round of the GPAC tournament. CUNE ended their 2024 conference regular season unbeaten (6-0-4) for the second year.
Next Match
GPAC Semifinals: Saturday, Nov. 9 vs. Northwestern (8-4-5, 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 front man. Concordia will look to make the final for the fifth time pushing its semifinals visits to eight in the program’s history. Last year, the No. 3 seed Bulldogs were upset (3-0) by No. 6 Dordt in the opening round. 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.
· Ties, wanted or not, decided many of the games for the Bulldogs in the 2024 season collecting a 7-2-9 overall record. Nine draws took the GPAC’s most ever and point to how dominant defensively Coach Weides’ squad was all season. With the 6-0-4 GPAC record, the Concordia hasn’t lost to a conference team in the regular season since 2022. The team has a 20-0-11 showing from that time and will continue to build on the record next campaign.
· The ability for this 2024 team to tie is quite like any other as 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. Hagen, Martin Herrera, Iker Casanova, Sean Stratman and Spencer Kaufman made their PKs to send the Bulldogs to the next round. Briar Cliff was up early in the first frame, but Hagen would answer for the equalizer in the 75th.
· 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 13th in goals allowed (12) and 7th (tied) in goals allowed average (0.72). Concordia has acquired seven shutouts (tied for 25th) and has only permitted five opposing assists in its 17 games played. Fuelberth is ranked 21st in goals allowed average (0.79) and gave up 0.79 in goals per game. In the GPAC, he ranks first in save percentage (.810) and fourth in goals allowed (12).
· The offense comes into the tournament on fire, scoring 24 goals in their last five games. Herrera paces the team with 10 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 (six), 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 41 total goals on 26 assists. Williams (five), Herrera (three), and Hugo Garrote(three) lead the team in feeds.
· The NAIA RPI ratings were released on Monday (Nov. 4) and Concordia jumped 10 spots to 60th in the rankings. With a strength of schedule slotted 137th, the Bulldogs will look to improve their ranking against Northwestern (73rd). The visitors have had a strength of schedule set at 187th. The ARC ratings have Morningside (12) ranked as the top GPAC team in the Midwest with Concordia (14) behind them two spots from the Nov. 5 release.
The opponent
The Red Raiders have gone unbeaten (3-0-1) in their last four games, defeating Doane (6-1) and Waldorf (6-0). Facing their in-state rival the past two contests, Northwestern tied (1-1) with Dordt in the season finale and bested its counterparts (5-1) in the GPAC quarterfinals. Coming into the weekend with an 8-4-5 record, the visitors have a 3-4-1 overall road showing. Averaging 2.24 scores every 90 minutes, NWC takes 16.1 shots per game allowing 1.29 GAA. Stan van den Beld leads the charge in goals with 11 (2nd in GPAC), with Alex Ruiz (nine) not far behind. Beld paces with seven assists. Goalkeeper Rick Lamerts put in 1,260 minutes in goal and three shutouts. With a .743 save percentage, he has allowed 19 goals and grabbed 55 saves in the season.
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 tied (7) Briar Cliff, 1-1 (5-4 PK)
Semifinals – Saturday, Nov. 9
(5) Hastings vs. (1) Morningside, 2 p.m.
(3) Northwestern vs. (2) Concordia, 7 p.m.
Championship – Wednesday, Nov. 13
Highest remaining seed hosts, time TBA