LEBANON, Ill. | Leemon Field - Fourth-seeded McKendree University men's soccer (12-2-6) made program history on Sunday evening with its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, defeating No.5-seed Southern Nazarene, 1-0, with a late overtime score. The Bearcats clinched their first appearance in the Sweet Sixteen with the victory and will head to Indianapolis as UIndy hosts the third round matchups as well as the quarterfinal at Key Stadium. McKendree will face eighth-seeded Maryville in the third round of the national tournament, a third matchup between the Bearcats and Saints in the 2023 campaign.
The contest kicked-off with a major storyline between these programs, as McKendree has proved to be a defensive force while SNU is an offensive-driven squad. In the first half, the Bearcats led on shots with eight compared to six for SNU, as they dominated possession throughout the field. Both attacks fired two on-frame shots with two saves to the goalkeepers over the first 45 minutes. The first half concluded zero to zero.
In the second half, the Crimson Storm out-shot the Bearcats on a five to four count. SNU pushed with mutliple deep attempts to the wings but they were thwarted by McKendree throughout. The game headed into overtime following null scoring in regulation.
McKendree's defense stepped up again in the overtime periods, as it faced 10 shots with freshman goalkeeper
Christian Herluf nabbing four saves.
In the 108th minute, McKendree earned a throw-in which was taken by freshman defender
Bailey Winchurch. Winchurch recovered the ball after SNU attempted to clear it, sending it to the far post. The cross was connected on by freshman defender
Fred Nielsen, who headed it into the back of the net. The goal was Nielsen's fourth of the season.
McKendree and Herluf recorded a 13th shutout on the year, both a single-season individual and team mark.
All four squads remaining in the Super Region III bracket are from the GLVC with No.3 UIndy, No.4 McKendree, No.7 Lewis, and No.8 Maryville playing survive and advance in the national tournament.
NOTES
McKendree collected its first NCAA Tournament win with Sunday's result, as it entered just its second appearance in program history. The Bearcats' first national postseason appearance came in 2019 against Ohio Valley.
The Bearcats were led to the win with a 108th-minute score by freshman defender
Fred Nielsen, who connected on a header off a cross by freshman defender
Bailey Winchurch. The goal was Nielsen's fourth of the campaign.
Freshman goalkeeper and All-GLVC second team selection
Christian Herluf and the Bearcats notched a 13th shutout of the season in the win over SNU, setting a single-season individual and team mark.
UP NEXT | NCAA Sweet Sixteen
McKendree heads off to Indianapolis and UIndy's Key Stadium for the third round where it will face the eighth-seeded Saints of Maryville for a spot in the quarterfinal round. The game will be McKendree and Maryville's third of the season with game one playing to a draw and McKendree taking the GLVC Tournament quarterfinal matchup, 1-0.
2023 NCAA DII Men's Soccer Tournament Bracket
