SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University men’s soccer team had hoped to be playing for a shot at a GPAC regular-season title by the time this part of the schedule rolled around. That’s not the case, but the Bulldogs could still potentially lock in the GPAC’s No. 5 seed with a successful final week of the regular season. Concordia will host Doane on Wednesday and then head to Dakota Wesleyan on Saturday.
This Week
Wednesday, Oct. 30 vs. Doane (3-11-1, 2-5-1 GPAC), 8 p.m.
-Live Webcast/Stats
Saturday, Nov. 2 at Dakota Wesleyan (2-10-3, 1-8-1 GPAC), 6:30 p.m.
-Live Webcast/Stats
Head coach Jason Weides’ squad could use the win from an emotional standpoint. The Bulldogs are 0-3-2 since their 2-0 home victory over Mount Marty on Oct. 5. Unfortunately for Concordia, injuries mounted during the most challenging stretch of conference action. There is a close battle brewing at the top of the GPAC between Briar Cliff (8-1), Hastings (8-1), Morningside (8-1) and Midland (8-1-1). The Bulldogs will find themselves on the road against one of those aforementioned squads in the quarterfinals of the GPAC tournament. Concordia had hosted in the quarterfinals in the 2016 through 2018 seasons.
The well has run a bit dry lately in terms of goal scoring. Junior Garrett Perry (five goals in 2019) has both of the team’s two goals over the past five games. Thankfully Perry has avoided the injuries that have plagued many of his teammates. On the plus side, the Bulldogs did return some of their key players in this past week’s 1-1 draw with Jamestown. Senior Carlos Ferrer came back and started. On the other hand, Callum Goldsmith started in goal for the second game in a row with Eduardo Alba still sidelined.
Doane has been outscored by a combined total of 34-13 this season. The Tigers managed to end a seven-game streak without a victory by defeating Dakota Wesleyan, 3-1, over the weekend. This marks the third-straight season that Doane has stumbled to an overall mark well below .500. Markus Pieper has contributed five goals in 2019.
Dakota Wesleyan has not earned a victory since defeating Presentation, 4-0, back on Sept. 25. That performance represented a season high goal scoring outburst. Since then the Tigers have not found the back of the net more than once in any single game. Their foes have outnumbered DWU, 38-12, on the season. Last season it took Concordia overtime until it put the Tigers away, 2-1, in Seward.
Dates for the GPAC tournament are Nov. 6 for the quarterfinals, No. 9 for the semifinals and Nov. 9 for the championship game.