Men's Soccer | 11/21/24 | 11:03 AM

HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Men's Soccer team will begin their Battle for the Red Banner this afternoon in a first round pairing of the NAIA Men's Soccer Championship against Hope International at 3 p.m. (MST) in Claremore, Okla.

For the first time in program history, the Fighting Saints (14-3-3) will step foot on the pitch at the NAIA National Championships. They'll open up the 40-team tournament with a first round matchup with the Royals (14-3-3).

Thursday afternoon's opening round game was moved from its originally scheduled location of Bartlesville to Claremore, with deteriorating field conditions as the cause.The Carroll Men couldn't care less where the game is played, however, as the team is fired up and ready for their first ever trip to the national championship.

The Saints were dominant through Cascade Collegiate Conference play, winning a program record 11 CCC games in the 2024 season. The vast majority of their matches played out in a similar fashion, as Carroll finished the year with 12 shutout victories, while also adding a pair of clean sheet draws.

Loaded with talent at each level, the Saints swept the CCC postseason awards with Felix Billard (Mallorca, Spain / SO) earning Offensive Player of the Year honors following a league-leading 14-goal season. Alfie Snow (Middlesbrough, England / JR) was named CCC Newcomer of the Year, finishing tied for second in the conference with 27 total points on the year. Justus Herrmann (Weil am Rein, Germany / FR) was outstanding on the back end of pitch, and the big German was named CCC Defensive Player of the Year in an impressive first campaign. Goalkeeper Juan Muniz Navarrete (Hermiston, Ore. / SR) was named Keeper of the Year after finishing second in the NAIA in both goals against average (.49) and save percentage (.852). 

Head Coach Austin Shick has brought the program to new heights in its tenth season, as the head man earned his second-consecutive CCC Coach of the Year distinction following the program's first CCC title in school history.

The Saints will begin their title quest with a 3 p.m. showdown against Hope International, who enter's the tournament with an identical 14-3-3 mark and two-straight GSAC tournament titles in hand. 

Both Carroll and HIU enter the game with an identical 2.35 goals per game average, while the Saints have been better on the defensive end with a .55 goals against average to the Royals' .95 gaa.

The Royals have seen goals spread out throughout their lineup, with Andy Cabrera leading the team in goals scored at five, but feature eight different players with at least three goals on the season.

The Saints have relied on Billard and Snow to do the heavy-lifting in the scoring area, with the pair combining for 25 total goals on the season.

The winner of this afternoon's opening round tilt will advance to play (2) Oklahoma Wesleyan at 12 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, with a trip to the NAIA Men's Soccer Championship Final Site on the line.

A live stream for this afternoon's match can be found HERE, and live stats can be followed along HERE.

Visit www.carrollathletics.com this evening for a full recap of the action, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.

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