YORK, Neb. – Going down one early, the Bulldogs made the most of their quality looks scoring on half their possessions against York University (3-2) on Saturday (Sept. 12). A penalty gave Concordia University, Nebraska an equalizer and the momentum for the majority of match to finish the final non-conference stretch in the win column.
Head Coach Bernie Ochoa and company are 2-4 with victories over in-state Bellevue University and York.
“We just got off to a slow start again and just weren’t ready,” Coach Ochoa said. “They came out pretty quick and obviously scored early on us. But the boys, slowly but surely, started stepping it up and were able to create that opportunity and get the set piece. On the set piece, we were able to get the PK. Sean stepped up and put it away. Momentum swung a little bit there for us, and we were able to play a little bit better and finish out the first half 1-1.”
With Concordia having gone 0-for-2 this season in penalties, Sean Stratman calmly buried the knotting goal in the bottom left corner in the 28th minute. The two teams slowed down the rest of the first stanza and go into the locker rooms with a 1-1 tie.
Three consecutive times it was one-on-one for the ball as the Bulldogs inched out better touches fighting for possession over the Panthers. The second touch came from Milo Hegarty toward the goal as Sebastian Montino outslid his defender to push the go-ahead score across the final line.
In what would eventually be the game winner, William Preston intercepted a York pass from about 40 yards out running towards the final defender. Averting the last Panther, Preston shot low to scrape just past the keeper and score his first career collegiate goal.
The score became the difference for the Bulldogs in the road triumph.
Ochoa continued, “It was a big moral victory for us. It’s been a tough nonconference, obviously, finishing it out and playing all these quality opponents. York was another quality opponent. They were undefeated up to this point and had played three GPAC teams and beaten all three. We just stated how important it was for us to get a positive result today, to go into the GPAC and hopefully get that result and keep that momentum going into next weekend.”
The Panthers outshot Concordia by a wide margin (22-6), but advantage was much less in quality shots on goal (8-4). The Bulldogs relied on the back line and goalkeeper Carter Wiebusch, as he gathered six saves in the contest. York (3-1) had defeated three straight GPAC teams before falling to the Seward side.
Seven different Bulldogs have scored the seven goals in the 2026 season.
Concordia (2-4) will enter conference play against Dordt (4-2-1) on Saturday (Sept. 19) in Sioux Center, Iowa. The Bulldogs will take the field at 4:15 p.m. CT.