The Bruins beat the Southwestern Adventist University Knights 5-0 for a statement win heading into the NCCAA National Championship!

"I couldn't be more proud of the effort of this team all the way through our roster," Head Coach Chris Carmichael said. "They continue to be excellent in all areas of their game and just have such a resolve to win."

Going into the match, everyone expected a close match and expected the Knights to punch back often. The Bruins played their brand of soccer and dodged those jabs controlling from matches pace from the starting whistle. There was a good amount of back-and-forth action for the first 30 minutes of the match but the Bruins remained patient with their chances. The dam broke when Mia Marks scored the first goal of the night in the 29th minute which swung the momentum fully to the Bruins. Celeste Baladi came up big scoring the next two goals for the Bruins before halftime in the 38th and 41st minutes. Starting her up top was a tactical decision by Coach Carmichael and it paid off!

Even with a comfortable 3-0 lead going into the second half, the Bruins kept their foot on the gas to try and get a couple more. Estrella Cruz, who just got down to Kissimmee yesterday made a difference right away today and scored in the 52nd minute on a rebound goal to make it 4-0. Just a few minutes later in the 56th minute, Shannon Miller scored a goal of her own to give the Bruins a commanding 5-0 lead. That lead held until the final whistle.

The defense held the Knights' attacks at bay all game long. "They defended as a group beautifully and took away most all of their attacking opportunities," said Coach Carmichael.

After the match, holding midfielder Reagan Tierney credited all parts of the team's performance saying "We kept the possession really well, had great finishes on goal, and consistently denied their attack. I love this team and can't wait to take the pitch with them on Saturday!"

Mia Marks adds to Tierney's words: "Tonight was a testament to a season of hard work on and off the field. Every person played the way we've been trained, being patient in the attacking third and finding the perfect moment to strike. Ultimately all glory goes to God for this win."

With the win, the Bruins won their pool and move on to play in the NCCAA National Championship on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Great Lakes Christian College stands in the way of a back-to-back national championship for the Bruins, but the confidence is high.

Coach Carmichael shares his thoughts going into Saturday: "We are incredibly excited to represent BJU at the National Championship this Saturday and will work very hard to get a good result. This is an amazing team of amazing players and I couldn't be more proud of their continued performance."