SEWARD, Neb. – With a six-point leash, Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer looks to tighten its grip on the regular season title with four games remaining on the slate. The Bulldogs will host GPAC classic rival Hastings inside Bulldog Stadium on Wednesday (Oct. 14), then travel to Waldorf over the weekend. With two wins in the past two bouts, first-place Concordia have extended its winning streak to seven and remain undefeated in conference competitions (8-4, 6-0 GPAC).
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 14 vs. Hastings (3-7-1, 1-4-1 GPAC), 8 p.m.
--Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
Saturday, Oct. 17 at Waldorf (5-9, 0-6 GPAC), 5:30 p.m.
--Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bolstorff Field (Forest City, Iowa)
By the numbers
· In the latest RPI unveiled on Monday (Oct. 12), the Bulldogs landed at No. 17, jumping up 15 spots, while sporting a strength of schedule ranked 14th (previously 20th) in the country. With a high strength of schedule, Concordia has faced No.6 Mid-America Christian (Okla.), No.10 William Penn University (Iowa), No. 20 Bellevue University, No. 48 Grand View University (Iowa) and No. 54 Dakota Wesleyan. The Bulldogs are 2-3 against the five. Additionally, in the first ARC ratings, which are regional rankings produced by the national selection committee, Concordia appeared at No. 16 in the Midwest. The next ARC will be released on Wednesday (Oct. 14).
· The move for both the Concordia men’s and women’s soccer coaches has proven to a great move for both rosters. Head Coach Bernie Ochoa is the first to reach a 6-0 conference record in the program’s history. Some of the best starts for the program were in 2019, 20’, 23’ where the teams opened conference 4-0-1 under previous Head Coach Jason Weides. The best finishes in GPAC regular season play were 7-2 (2017) and 7-0-4 (2023). The Bulldogs are 12-0 against GPAC competition since Oct. 18, 2025, and are looking to lock up the first regular season title in Concordia’s history.
· With CUNE having a two-game advantage over the rest of the competition, Dordt (4-2) is in second with Midland (3-1-2) and Northwestern (3-1-2) currently holding the tie for third. Dakota Wesleyan is 3-2, with a chance to add three extra points, having played one less match than the majority of the field. Doane (3-3), Morningside (2-1-2) and Briar Cliff (2-3-1) make up the first eight, vying to make postseason appearances. Hastings (1-4-1) is the outside team looking in as the current table stands.
· The Bulldogs scored a game-high five goals in the win, 5-2, against the Lancers in Yankton. Elijah Fulton scored a brace with a goal in each half. Other scorers were Joe McCarroll, Sean Stratman (PK) and Connor Robbins (first season). McCarroll and Hugo Garrote assisted Fulton as four of the five goals were from set pieces. Concordia had the edge in shots (16-10), shots on goal (11-6), and corners (7-2).
· Kai Olbrich and Sebastian Montino combined to give the Bulldogs the edge over Dakota Wesleyan, 3-2, in the offensive second half. Olbrich scored two with the first right before half for his second and third of the season, while Montino notched his third as well. Both teams kicked five on frame apiece. Milo Hegarty, McCarroll and Lucas Montino notched assists in the pivotal match. Seventeen Bulldogs have marked points on the season.
· The Bulldog offense continues to grow and opposing defenses can’t stop the diverse attack. Concordia scored eight goals in the last two games with the last four games ending with three or more scores. The Seward side hasn’t been shutout since Sept. 5 and has had 12 different players find the back of the net. Four players have at least three goals with the likes of McCarroll (five), Kai (three), Sebastian (three), Fulton (three) and William Preston (three). The top point scorers are McCarroll (12), Kai (eight) and Preston (eight). The defense…five goals allowed in conference.
The opponents
Hastings enters the matchup with a 3-7-1 overall record and a 1-4-1 mark in GPAC play. The Broncos have relied on a mix of experienced upperclassmen and younger contributors, with senior Jake Watt and junior Jacob Varley among the team's most consistent players, each appearing in all 11 matches. HC has scored 22 goals while allowing 27, showing the continued close matches in their losses. Offensively, sophomore Johnny Pedroza leads the team with three goals and three assists, totaling nine points. Sophomore Eddy Nyemah has added three goals and one assist, while senior Juan Rubio has contributed three goals and one assist in nine appearances. Junior Arnau Jardi and sophomore Augustin Banhire have also provided attacking options. In goal, sophomore Brogan Pfeil and senior Ethan Watkins have started six and five matches, respectively.
Waldorf enters the matchup with a 5-9 overall record and an 0-6 mark in GPAC play. The Warriors have struggled since entering conference competition, dropping seven consecutive matches while being outscored 39-3 in their six GPAC contests. Through 14 games, Waldorf has totaled 19 goals on 143 shots, averaging 1.36 goals and 10.2 shots per game. Senior forward Jedidiah Omoghan has been a key offensive contributor, totaling five goals and two assists in 11 appearances. Junior Lucas Nogal Ovejero has added two goals, while senior Kevin Laby has contributed two goals and one assist. Freshman Carlos Carmona has started all 14 matches in the midfield and recorded four assists. Defensively, the Warriors have surrendered 53 goals, allowing an average of 3.79 per contest. Freshman goalkeeper Oliver Stevenson has made 48 saves in eight appearances, while fellow freshman Francesco Jimenez recorded 29 saves in six games.
Next week
Only two regular season games will remain on the slate once this week’s action is in the books. Next week, the Bulldogs will host Northwestern on Oct. 24 and Midland on Oct. 28.