Men’s soccer team places third in NCCAA Div. I National Championship

By Mckenzie Masters
Sports Editor

The tournament ended with Union’s 1-0 victory over Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) on Dec. 1, which gave the team the third place title. J. Landham, men’s assistant soccer coach, described the final game.

“Missing multiple of our starters, we used each and every one of our varsity players, and they all performed at their personal best,” Landham said. “It was amazing to watch them fight so hard together and definitely made a name for ourselves.”

The team’s 1-0 win against Covenant College (Ga.) Nov. 17 in the NCCAA MidEast Region championship sealed a regional title and opened the way for quarterfinal play at the national competition.

The last time the team held the NCCAA regional title was in 2002, under the direction of Coach Darin White.

The men’s quarterfinal win against Grace College (Ind.) Nov. 28 ended in a double-overtime, 3-2 penalty shootout, advancing the team to the next round of semifinals the next day.

But Union fell 1-0 to California Baptist University, seeded second in the tournament, on Nov. 29.

“It was nerve-wracking to watch the team take the [penalty kicks]” in the quarterfinal game, said William Murray, senior engineering major and 2010-2012 team captain. “And I was delighted to see that they were able to pull out the victory in spite of being a player down.”

Murray is referring to what he called a controversial red card issued to senior defender Alysson Mohl by the referee.

Mohl, who was ejected from the game during overtime, missed play in the semifinal game Nov. 29 because of the call. In addition, the team had to play one player short during overtime after the red card was issued.

In the first round of penalty kicks, Guillerme Reis, senior forward, and Cody Styx, junior defender, scored the goals.

Rainer Pires, senior goalkeeper, contributed to the quarterfinal win with three golden saves, one of which took place during the sudden death round.

In that round, Alex Pratt, sophomore forward, sealed the win for Union’s advance into the NCCAA semifinals.

Landham explained that the men’s soccer team now ranks third in the nation and has accomplished much in its first season of transition into the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“I think one of our biggest accomplishments is moving up to the NCAA level and finishing second in that conference,” said Landham. “We kind of came into a new and very difficult conference and made a name for ourselves.”

Brian Castro, junior sports medicine major, was jubilant about winning the regional title.

“I know it is cliché, but it is an amazing feeling [to win] because last time the Union men’s soccer team were champions was nine years ago,” Castro said. “So to have the privilege of calling yourselves regional champions and taking pictures with the banner makes all the hard work every single player and coaching staff put into the season worth it. The fruit of hard work has paid off, and Nationals are no longer a dream. We will be playing in it.”

The team’s season began in August.

Coach Clovis Simas said many factors contributed to its success.

“First, it would be the quality of the players that we have,” Simas said. “Second would be the work that they’ve put (in) on the field since August. Third would be having a great season and a great record that led us where we are now.”

Landham said the season was filled with high and low points.

“I feel like at the beginning of the season, we kind of started slow, and we dropped some games to some teams that we should have beat,” Landham said. “We kind of sat back, we did a lot of work, but we are playing a completely different style and level than we were at the beginning of the year.”

Luka Perkovic, junior business administration major, applauded his team.

“I am proud to be part of this great team of players who are my family on the field and in real life,” he said.