Box Score
The Bruins soccer team battled #4 Trinity Baptist College to a 0-0 draw on Friday night in the final pool play match of the NCCAA DII National Tournament. Unfortunately for the Bruins, the draw ended the team's season due to the tiebreaker rules. The goals allowed margin favored the Eagles who will advance to play #3 Pensacola Christian College in the championship on Saturday.
"It was frustrating for us to end it in a 0-0 draw," Bruins Head Coach Jesse McCormick said. ""It was a tough battle and the guys really fought hard and we had some chances on both ends."
The Bruins came into the match after upsetting the #1 seeded Kansas Christian College 3-1 on Thursday night. They would meet a familiar foe as they took the field against the TBC Eagles for the third time this season. The Bruins and Eagles battled to a 1-1 draw on October 14 before BJU fell to TBC 1-0 in the region playoffs. The Bruins were hoping third time would be the charm as they took the pitch at Alumni Stadium.
Both teams had multiple chances through and great saves were made by both keepers. The Bruins pushed in the first half and even had a string of one touch passes that put the team in great spots to score. The team just couldn't find the back of the goal. The Bruins had six shots on target and forced Eagles keeper Kyle Aultman to have to make several big saves. The Eagles knew they could play for the tie and consistently dropped multiple players behind the ball to defend. Despite gaining several free kicks and set pieces, the Bruins couldn't score as the half ended 0-0.
In the second half, the Bruins generated their best chances as Jared Simmons headed a ball off of a corner kick that nearly found the back of the net before an Eagles defender stepped in the way to deflect the ball away. Stephen Grider also smashed a left footed shot that hit the post and the team also hit the crossbar in the second half but still couldn't score.
The two teams battled through two extra time periods, but as the buzzer signaled the end of the match, the two teams ended the night as they began it with a 0-0 draw.
The Bruins finish the 2017 season at 5-12-2. The team battled through one of their most difficult schedules to date to once again contend for the national title. Unfortunately, the Bruins couldn't defend their 2016 national championship. The team will graduate four seniors from the squad, but will return a core group of players as the team looks to climb back atop the NCCAA in 2018.
