The BJU Bruins took the field on Wednesday morning for the first round of the NCCAA D1 Playoffs in West Palm Beach, Florida. Their opponent was the Southeastern University Fire who finished their season at 7-7-1. The Bruins came into the postseason as the #5 seed of the tournament, finishing their inaugural regular season at 10-4-1. The Bruins have worked very hard all season long, and the team has been able to overcome their inexperience at the intercollegiate level, to become one of the more dominant teams in the South Region of the NCCAA. The stage was set for the first postseason soccer match in BJU's history. Win and you continue on in the playoffs. Lose, and it is a long bus ride back home.
From the opening kickoff, both the Bruins and Fire went back and forth, with both teams realizing the importance of this playoff game. Despite coming out a bit flat, the Bruins defense stood strong and goalie Jon Sandy was able to keep the Fire at bay. The Bruins countered with good ball movement and were able to generate open opportunities for good shots on goal. Despite the struggle, both teams were not able to find the back of the net. In the 18th minute of action, the Fire broke the scoreless tie off of a beautiful shot from just outside the 18' to gain the lead at 1-0.
"We lacked intensity and focus," Coach McCormick said. "That is essential for creating goal scoring opportunities."
As the Bruins came out for the second half, the team had just 45 minutes separating them from the next round of the playoffs or the end of their inaugural season. The team played with that desperation as the Bruins stood strong on defense and had several near-goals on offense. With the Fire in the lead, Coach Drew Stacey played more of a defensive strategy to keep the Bruins from attacking. The clock continued to wind down as the Bruins' season was nearing an end. Several last-minute attempts sailed just wide and as the final buzzer sounded, the Bruins season had come to a close in a 1-0 loss.
"We had a great first season," Coach McCormick said. "We had hoped for a better end to the season, but I am looking forward to having a majority of the guys back next season. We can't wait to get back on the pitch to prepare for next year."
With the loss, the Bruins finish their inaugural season at 10-5-1. The team's motto and theme for this inaugural season was summed up in two words: Magnify Christ. Each class, practice, game or scrimmage, the Bruin players sought to magnify Christ by the way they conducted their lives both on and off the field. Throughout this season, the Bruins have clearly displayed that theme through their play. Although this season is officially over, the fans and players will never forget this first year. Those who were part of this inaugural season will look back years from now and remember the team that exceeded expectations both on the field and through their testimony for Christ.
