Men's Soccer Wins First-Ever NAIA Tournament Game in Thrilling Fashion

MISHAWAKA, Ind.- The men's soccer team traveled to Indiana for a soccer game on Thursday. The team played in the state as a part of the 2023 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship First and Second Rounds. The team faced the Aquinas College Saints in the first round of the Mishawaka Bracket.

In what turned out to be a high-scoring game, the first goal of seven in the game came in the first minute. Kuda Nhiwatiwa scored it off assists by Cameron Grooms and Cian Gantley to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. The game became tied shortly after though as Aquinas scored two minutes later. In the 11th minute, Grant Barron gave TWU the lead back, scoring on a Dave Neijenhuis assist to give the team a 2-1 advantage. The team's one-goal lead carried on throughout the remainder of the first half.

In the 63rd minute, Aquinas scored on a penalty kick to tie the game. The opponents put the Bulldogs in a deficit in the 71st minute, taking a 3-2 lead. Tennessee Wesleyan trailed for a total of 17 seconds as Jarimyah Cook found the back of the net off Logan Haricombe's assist to knot the game up at three goals each. Neither team scored by the end of regulation, forcing the game into overtime.

The first ten-minute overtime period saw no one score a goal. The second ten-minute overtime period almost ended the same but with 18 seconds before the final buzzer, Dylan McConnell scored on Cook's pass to give the team a 4-3 lead that held on for the remaining time. The 4-3 win was the first victory for the men's soccer program in the NAIA National Tournament in program history.

With the win, Tennessee Wesleyan (12-4-5) advances to the second round where they will face No. 6 seed Bethel University (Ind.) on Saturday. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m