Dec. 6, 2008

Updated Bracket | Click Here
Championship Statistical Leaders | Click Here

FRESNO, Calif. – After 29 games in the 50^th Annual NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship, two teams remain. Unseeded Bethel (Tenn.) College takes on No. 2 seed the University of Rio Grande (Ohio) today (Dec. 6) at 6 p.m. PST from Ramirez Field. The event, which is hosted by Fresno Pacific (Calif.) University, has lasted six days and brought in 16 teams to the final site. The Championship final can be viewed live by clicking here and live stats can be viewed here.

A relative newcomer to the Championship will be facing a team making its eighth straight Championship trip. Bethel, a member of the TranSouth Athletic Conference located in McKenzie, Tenn., is playing in its first Championship final. The Wildcats are in their second ever Championship with the first appearance coming in 2004. That experience did not last as BC was knocked out by Bethel (Ind.) in penalty kicks in the Opening Round. This year has been a different story. Riding a nine-game unbeaten streak into the postseason, the Wildcats have shut-out all four opponents they have faced in the Championship. Included in those wins was a 3-0 Quarterfinal blanking of Mobile (Ala.), a team that has won 20 Championship games and had scored seven goals the previous game, and a 4-0 victory over No. 1 seed Oklahoma City in the Semifinals.

Coached by second year general Melvin Belong, Bethel earned a trip to the Championship after winning the conference tournament title against Martin Methodist. Standing 16-5-2 overall, the Wildcats are led by freshman forward Dawyne Smith (12 goals) and freshman forward Mario Vila Boa (8 goals). Both have scored two goals during the Championship at the final site. The offense has out-scored the opponent 12-0 in the four Championship games this year. The defense is spearheaded by goaltender Massimo Collu-Marchese, who has six shut-outs on the year in 17 games played.

Conversely, Rio Grande, a school located in Rio Grande, Ohio with an enrollment of 2,500, has made a trip to the National Championship consecutively since 2001. The finals appearance is the second in school history with the last coming during their 2003 Championship title run. The Red Storm stand 13-5-1 all-time in Championship play and are looking for their second Championship crown. Members of the American Mideast Conference, Rio Grande took down Bethel (Ind.) 2-1 in the Championship Opening Round to advance to the final site.

Coach Scott Morrissey led his team to a 12-0-1 start to the season and a No. 1 national ranking for four straight weeks. Rio Grande was the second at-large team to make the Championship and stand 19-3-1 heading into Saturday’s game. Led offensively by sophomore forward Ederson Lopes with 23 goals on the year, the Red Storm offense has put up nine goals in four games this Championship. In the net, Nate Walzer is 12-2 on the year having allowed just two goals in four games during this postseason.

Semifinal Recap – Dec. 5:

Semifinal #2: No. 2 Rio Grande (Ohio) def. No. 14 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) 1-0

(box score) No. 2 seed Rio Grande (Ohio) earned its second ever trip to the Championship final after a 1-0 win over No. 14 Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio). Saturday’s Championship final will be the first ever for Bethel and second for Rio Grande.

Both MVNU and Rio Grande are familiar with each other as both belong to the American Mideast Conference. The teams played to a 0-0 draw in the first meeting while Mt. Vernon won the second match-up 1-0.

The Rio Grande defense was the storyline tonight shutting down the MVNU offense. The Cougars tallied only two shots on goal and six overall shots. That defensive stand allowed the URG offense to contain the ball on their end and rip off 25 shots overall and eight on goal.

Rio Grande’s Jon Brooks directed a kick from 30 yards out and hit the back of the net in the 12^th minute. It appeared that goaltender Alex Stout was blinded by a few players and could not see the shot attempt. That goal allowed was the first for Stout and the MVNU defense in four games.

The Red Storm defense stayed solid throughout turning away any MVNU offensive burst. Goaltender Nate Walzer earner the win posting one save.

Mt. Vernon Nazarene wraps up its year with an 18-4-2 overall record. The Cougars made the most of their first ever Championship appearance making the school’s first ever Semifinal in any sport.

Game Notes:
Rio Grande now holds a 9-2 scoring advantage in the postseason and has blanked two straight opponents… The goal in the 11^th minute by Rio Grande was the first allowed for MVNU in the 2008 Championships and first since the conference championship (Nov. 15)… With this Semifinal appearance, Mount Vernon Nazarene made the school’s first ever Semifinal trip in any sport in school history… Of the Semifinalists, Rio Grande is the only program to boast a National Championship title with one back in 2003... Rio Grande is appearing in its third ever Semifinal while Mount Vernon Nazarene is playing in its first Semifinal… Rio Grande is 1-0 all-time in Championship finals defeating Fresno Pacific (Calif.) 1-0 during the 2003 title game in Olathe, Kan.… MVNU set two school single-season records this year, fewest goals allowed (16 in 24 games) and best winning percentage (.792).

Semifinal #1: Bethel (Tenn.) def. No. 1 Oklahoma City 4-0

(box score) Unseeded Bethel (Tenn.) College used three first-half goals and a strong defense to defeat No. 1 seed Oklahoma City University 4-0. The Wildcats will advance to their first ever National Championship final. Bethel extended its unbeaten streak to 13 straight and has not allowed a goal now in all four of its Championship games this year.

Mario Vila Boa hit his second goal of the Championship, this one in the 26^th minute. He was assisted by Armando Orozco. That marker was all Bethel needed as the defense stepped up throughout the match. Coming into the Semifinal match with 10 Championship goals, OCU was blanked in the scoring column tonight and managed just three shots on goal.

Erick Rosas added the second and third goals of the game, all before the half, in staking BC to a 3-0 lead. Fredrik Ekvall closed out the scoring in the 58^th minute.

Bethel goalkeeper Massimo Collu-Marchese notched his fourth straight shut-out by stopping all three OCU shots on goal.

Oklahoma City finishes its season with a 20-3-1 record, the first 20-win season since 2001.

Game Notes:

The four goals scored marks the most for Bethel in Championship play… During its current four match streak of not allowing a goal, Bethel has scored 12 goals… Bethel and Oklahoma City both played in their first ever Semifinal and faced each other for the first time in the Championships … With Oklahoma City getting eliminated as the No. 1 seed, just one top seed has now won the national title in the last seven Championships (Azusa Pacific in 2007)… The 20-win season for OCU is its third in school history… The three goals allowed by Oklahoma City are the most this year.

2008 Championship Scores – Final Site:

Updated Bracket

Monday, December 1

Tuesday, December 2

Wednesday, December 3

Friday, December 5 -- Semifinals