SEWARD, Neb. – The unblemished record sported by the Concordia University men’s soccer team will be put to the test this week with challenges from two perennially strong programs. The Bulldogs will take on in-state nonconference foe Bellevue University at 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday with the site moved to Tranquility Park in Omaha. Concordia will also host Northwestern on Saturday when GPAC play resumes.
This Week
Tuesday, Sept. 17 at Bellevue (4-5), 7:30 p.m.
-Live Coverage: Webcast | Stats
Saturday, Sept. 21 vs. Northwestern (3-4, 0-0), 3:30 p.m.
-Live Coverage: Webcast/Stats
The Bulldogs are 5-0 for the first time during 12th-year head coach Jason Weides’ tenure. The Bulldogs used a golden goal from Roger de la Villa to eke out a 3-2 overtime win at McPherson College on Sept. 11. Three days later, six different Concordia players found the back of the net in a 9-0 stomping of Presentation. Ryan LeTourneau took advantage of his playing time and recorded the program’s first hat trick since 2017. For the week, Moises Jacobo knocked in two goals and notched three assists.
Through five outings, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by a combined total of 19-3. Jacobo is the team leader with four goals on the season. Five others have multiple goals on the year: LeTourneau (three), Isaiah Shaddick (three), Renzo Bozzo (two), de la Villa (two) and Carlos Ferrer (two). Thirteen Concordia players have at least one assist. Defensively, the Bulldogs now have three shutouts, two more than they recorded during the entire 2018 season.
Concordia will attempt to avenge last season’s 2-1 home loss to Bellevue. The Bulldogs last defeated the Bruins in 2017 by a 3-0 final score. Bellevue has now won three in a row after starting out 1-5 (all five defeats by a one-goal margin). The last two Bruins victories came over Briar Cliff (1-0, OT) and Northwestern (3-0). There have been just a combined 23 goals in Bellevue’s nine games this season. Andy Janssen has scored four goals to lead the Bruins.
Northwestern will begin GPAC play on Saturday. Coming off a 10-7-2 overall mark in 2018, the Red Raiders were picked to finish sixth in the GPAC. Northwestern owns wins over Viterbo University, William Woods University and Waldorf University. Jake Foscalina has put away three of the team’s 11 goals. Last season the Bulldogs and Red Raiders played to a 1-1 double overtime draw.
Coming up next week, Concordia will host Kansas Wesleyan University on Sept. 25 before heading to Dordt on Sept. 28. It will be conference play the rest of the way after the matchup with Kansas Wesleyan.