OLATHE, Kan. – The No. 5 seed Bulldogs put forth a valiant effort but fell (3-0) to host No. 1 seed MidAmerica Nazarene University in the second round of the NAIA national tournament on Saturday Nov. 22). Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer held off the Pioneers until the home side scored the eventual game winner late in the first frame.
The Bulldogs’ (12-9-1) season run ends in the second round for the first time in the history of the program after besting Eastern Oregon University in penalty kicks (4-2).
“It was a really good college soccer game overall,” Head Coach Jason Weides said. “When you look at the first half, the guys really executed our game plan. We caused them some challenges. Look, the odds were stacked against us. No. 2 team in the nation. No. 1 seed. They had rest, whereas we had to go to double overtime, but our team didn’t use that as an excuse. We were ready. Mentally, we were dialed into the match on a really short turnaround. Ultimately, some set plays were the difference in the match. They were a little bit better on set plays than us.”
In a great defensive battle, both sides fired two chances apiece in the first 34 minutes of the match. With MNU earning a corner, Nestor Reyes delivered a near post assist to Ferdi Hagen for the tap in score. Hagen, a former Concordia player, knocked in what would be the eventual contest-deciding goal.
The back line including captain Slade Leicht, Mike Wyvill, Mattis Hollnagel and Adrian Wambua continued to make it difficult for the MidAmerica Nazarene attack to get going as the No. 2 team in the nation only had four shots on goal in the 90 minutes. Inigo Chavarria blocked out an early potential goal.
With three shots taken in the first half, the Bulldogs began to take more in the second 45 minutes with seven (10-9 total) to the home squad’s four. Oliver Benson (three) and Hugo Garrote (two) paced the team in chances fired. Ricards Busmeisters, Kai Olbrich, Karlo Rodriguez, Milo Hegarty, and Connor Robbins put offensive pressure on MNU at different moments.
Trying to cut the lead in half, Concordia’s Garrote took one of the better shots but the Pioneer keeper was able to get a paw on in it to push it just above the crossbar in the 67th minute.
The Pioneers’ Reyes would be on the front end of another set play score as Thomas Giraudo put the ball in the back of the net for insurance in the 61st minute. One more tally was added for MNU via Jeremie Pelade in an unassisted goal.
Concordia ends its season 12-9-1 and in the second round of the final playoffs after starting 0-4 in 2025. The Bulldogs won the GPAC tournament championship for the third time in history.
Said Weides, “It was important for our guys to see when we are coming off a double overtime game, and we are exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally, that we can come out here and play with a top team in the nation. We can compete really well. It just shows this team is capable of taking the next steps. Next, we want to be at the final site. We will come back stronger and try to find our way there next year.”