Dec. 3, 2008

FRESNO, Calif. - (box score) No. 2 seed Rio Grande (Ohio) earned a Semifinal trip after a 4-0 win over No. 10 seed Maine-Fort Kent in the ninth game of the 50^th Annual NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship at the final site, hosted by Fresno Pacific (Calif.) University. The Red Storm advance to play on Friday (Dec. 5) at 7:30 p.m. PST against the winner of Mt. Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) and Westmont (Calif.).

Improving to 12-5-1 all-time in Championship play, Rio Grande (18-3-1) advances to its third ever Semifinal game. In their last Semifinal, U of RG defeated Hastings 1-0 and went on to win the 2003 National Championship.

The Red Storm peppered UMFK goalie Giovanni Sinclair all day with 12 shots on goal. Sam Fairhurst opened up the scoring for Rio Grande knocking home a goal in the sixth minute. With the score 1-0 in the second half, Ederson Lopes scored twice, with the second in the 53^rd minute. Lopes now has six points in two games in Fresno - he notched two assists in the Second Round win on Monday.

Jon Brooks was credited with an unassisted goal in the 75^th minute to close out the scoring.

Nate Walzer did not see much action in the net for Rio Grande, but he stopped both shots on goal. He moves to 11-2 on the year and recorded his fourth shutout of the year. The U of RG defense limited UMFK to just five total shots.

The Bengals end their season with a 20-1-2 mark. The four goals was the most UMFK allowed all season - the Bengals had given up just seven goals all season long coming into today.

For more information on the 2008 National Championship, click here