SEWARD, Neb. – With one more win, Concordia University, Nebraska Men’s Soccer will achieve a perfect conference record (10-0). The Bulldogs have been utterly dominant in GPAC play and will look to finish strong in their final scheduled contest against Midland on Wednesday (Oct. 28). First-year Head Coach Bernie Ochoa and company are 11-4 overall and 9-0 in the league.
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 28 vs. Midland (3-6-5, 3-2-4 GPAC), 8 p.m.
--Webcast | Live Stats | Location: Bulldog Stadium (Seward, Neb.)
NOTE: The GPAC tournament begins on Saturday, Oct. 31.
By the numbers
· Outright conference champions. Concordia earned its first GPAC regular-season championship against Waldorf and secured the undisputed title with a 3-0 win over Northwestern. The undefeated Dawgs have been dominant with or without possession, boasting a 41-6 goal differential in league play. The Seward side has reached nine conference wins for the first time in the GPAC era. Extending a winning streak that dates back to last season, CUNE has tallied 15 consecutive victories against conference competition since 2025. Its last loss to a GPAC team came on Oct. 15, 2025, at Midland, 3-0.
· Extending its winning streak to 10, the Bulldogs faced one of the conference's best defenses and goalkeepers in the Red Raiders. Having allowed just 15 goals (fewest in the GPAC) on the season, Northwestern surrendered three to the potent Bulldog offense. Sebastian Montino struck first, and Hugo Garrote closed the first half with an insurance goal. Connor Robbins scored the lone second-half tally. Concordia held advantages in shots (17-8) and shots on goal (9-3). The stingy defense held the Red Raiders scoreless, with keeper Florian Quast making two critical saves.
· With the NAIA's latest RPI rankings released Monday (Oct. 26), Concordia jumped from No. 18 to No. 13 following the win over the Red Raiders. The Bulldogs' strength of schedule ranking improved from No. 27 to No. 11 nationally, bolstered by the matchup with Northwestern. Coach Ochoa's roster has faced three teams ranked in the top 15 of the RPI, including No. 2 Mid-America Christian University (Okla.), No. 8 William Penn University (Iowa) and No. 14 Bellevue University. The next ARC rankings and NAIA coaches' poll are scheduled to be released Wednesday.
· The conference standings feature one clear champion in Concordia (27 points), but the waters turn murky from second place down. With one game remaining, Dordt (19) and Morningside (17) occupy second and third place, respectively. Briar Cliff (16) and Dakota Wesleyan (16) sit just behind the top three. Northwestern (14), Midland (13) and Doane (10) round out the top eight. Mount Marty (10) will look to secure a postseason berth with a win over Hastings on Wednesday.
· The collective offensive unit has begun to separate itself from the rest of the conference, with its scoring prowess reflected in the national rankings. The Bulldogs rank second nationally in shooting percentage (.255), trailing only Ohio Christian University (.322). Concordia also ranks among the NAIA's top 20 in goals scored (T-17th), goals per game (18th) and shots-on-goal percentage (14th). Fifteen Bulldogs have scored, with the leading goal scorers being Joe McCarroll (eight), Kai Olbrich (six), Sebastian Montino (six), Garrote (five), Karlo Rodriguez (three), Robbins (three) and Elijah Fulton (three). With 48 total goals, the 2026 squad ranks fourth in program history, behind the teams of 1979 (53), 2022 (51) and 2017 (51).
· The defense has been almost as impressive, stifling opposing attacks throughout GPAC play. Only six goals (fewest in the GPAC) have been conceded in conference competition. Sean Stratman, Michael Wyvill, Niko Nareike, Lucas Montino, Danilo Nikolic, Mattis Hollnagel, Robbins and Fulton have disrupted the majority of opposing attacks entering Concordia's defensive third. Five of the nine conference games have resulted in shutouts, and the defense has limited opponents to fewer than one goal per game (0.67), the only GPAC team to accomplish the feat. Goalkeeper Quast has been a reliable last line of defense, with four solo shutouts (six total). He is tied for first in the GPAC in goals allowed (13). The transfer ranks second in save percentage (.772) and goals-against average (1.09).
The opponent
Midland has played to draws against three of its last five opponents, carrying a record of 3-6-5 (3-2-4 GPAC). The Warriors' most recent victory came against Waldorf (8-0), with the draws coming against Morningside (4-4), Doane (2-2) and Dordt (1-1). Junior Juan Villadiego paces the team in goals (five), assists (three) and points (13). Jamie Jerez follows with three goals. The Warriors average 14.5 shots per game and have found the back of the net 25 times while conceding 30 goals. In goal, Tomas Reyers has started 13 games and played 1,126 minutes between the posts. He has recorded 68 saves with a .708 save percentage and a 3-5-5 record. Midland is 1-5-2 on the road**, with a .123 shooting percentage and a .429 shots-on-goal percentage.
Next week
The Bulldogs have already secured the No. 1 seed in the GPAC tournament and will host the conference quarterfinal on Saturday versus the No. 8 seed. Concordia will host an opening round to the league playoff for the fifth consecutive year.