BARTLESVILLE, Okla. - The Carroll College Men's Soccer team saw their 2024 season come to a close with a 4-0 loss to No. 2 Oklahoma Wesleyan in the second round of the NAIA Championship on Saturday afternoon.
A historic year for the Fighting Saints (15-4-3) didn't end the way they wanted, but the CCC Champions battled for 90 minutes with the No. 2-ranked Eagles (21-1).
Field conditions in Bartlesville were not ideal, with players slipping and sliding all over the natural grass pitch.
The team speed of the Eagles, who had the benefit of their home field and a first round bye was on display in the first half.
Matheus Ulrich opened the scoring, capitalizing on a Carroll turnover deep in their own third to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute.
Oklahoma Wesleyan added a second goal before the break, as Julian Tovar scored in the 34th minute to double the Eagle advantage.
In total the Eagles out-shot the Saints 20-1 on the afternoon, with 12 shots coming in the first half.Â
Ulrich scored the second goal of his brace in the 50th minute to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead, and although Carroll would battle, they'd be unable to respond throughout the course of the half.
The Eagles added one final goal in the 87th minute, as Adrian Meija scored to bring the final tally to 4-0.
Carroll will return home with nothing to hang their heads about, as the 2024 team was the first in the 10-year history of the program to earn a Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship.Â
The 15-win season is the most in school history, numerous school records were re-written, two separate players earned NAIA Player of the Week honors, eight players were recognized on the All-CCC teams, and the team swept the CCC postseason honors in the most successful season the Men's Soccer program has had.Â
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