SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia men’s soccer team is set to compete in the GPAC Championship match for the first time in program history. The Bulldogs will travel to No. 19 Hastings for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The game will be the ninth time the men’s team has played a contest at Hastings in the last four years.
MATCH INFO
Concordia (10-6-3, 4-4-2) at (19) Hastings (14-3-3, 9-0-1)
Thursday, Nov. 12 | 7 p.m.
Site: Hastings, Neb.
Stadium: Lloyd Wilson Field
Webcast: Stretch Internet
In the last contest for Concordia, the Bulldogs played to a 0-0 tie in Fremont. CUNE and Midland went into a penalty kick shootout to determine who would move onto the GPAC Championship. Keeper Mark Horsburgh made the final PK to advance the Bulldogs. Horsburgh also put up 11 saves in the match. Julian Amaya, Mark Campbell, Sean Doran and Lewis Rathbone took penalty kick shots for the Bulldogs.
On the previous match up at Midland, head coach Jason Weides said, “It was a really exciting game. Overall I’m just really proud of the team. I thought we showed great support. Everybody on the team, whether they played or not, was a part of this win. I was really excited to see the fans, you would have thought this was a home game for us. Bulldog nation came out in force. We heard from a lot of people before the game, whether it was texts, phone calls, emails or Facebook messages, we could feel the support from Bulldog nation, it was huge tonight.”
Horsburgh received the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors, announced Tuesday by the GPAC office. The Scotland native combined for 17 saves and zero goals allowed over the past two GPAC Tournament matches. Horsburgh also made a game-clinching penalty kick after two overtimes at Midland to advance the Bulldogs to the GPAC Championship match for the first time.
As a team in the GPAC, the Bulldogs are tied for first in total shutouts (8), rank second in shots per game (19.37) and in shots on goal per game (9.32) and rank fourth in goals allowed per game (1.21). Nationally, the squad ranks 17th in shots per game (19.37), 21st in shots on goal per game (9.32) and 22nd in total shutouts (8). Horsburgh is the 32nd-ranked keeper in goals against per game (.97).
The No. 19 Hastings Broncos are 14-3-3 this season with a 9-0-1 record in GPAC play. Midland gave Hastings its lone GPAC tie, playing to a 2-2 draw. The Broncos defeated Nebraska Wesleyan (2-1) in the GPAC Quarterfinals and Doane College (4-1) in the Semifinals to get to the Championship round.
Previously this season, the Bulldogs were defeated by the Broncos, 3-1 in Hastings. The game was played in mid-October. Freshman Angel Alvarez scored the lone goal for the Bulldogs in the 88th minute. Horsburgh grabbed six saves in the contest.
The NAIA Tournament will be up next on the Bulldogs’ schedule should they become the GPAC Champions. The opening round will be played on Saturday, Nov. 21. Competition sites and times will be announced on Monday, Nov. 16.