CCC MEN'S SOCCER TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY U.S. BANK
Lithia & Driveway Fields | Medford, Oregon
Saturday, Nov. 7 – Quarterfinals
(7) Oregon Tech 3, (2) Carroll 1
(3) Southern Oregon 3, (6) Bushnell 2 (OT)
(8) Warner Pacific 3, (1) Rocky Mountain 3 (PKs: WPU 4, RMC 2)
(4) Eastern Oregon 2, (5) College of Idaho 1 (OT)
Monday, Nov. 9 – Semifinals
Southern Oregon 2, Warner Pacific 0
Eastern Oregon 3, Oregon Tech 1
Wednesday, Nov. 11 – Championship
Eastern Oregon 2, Southern Oregon 1
MEDFORD – Southern Oregon's season is in the hands of the NAIA National Selection Committee after the Raiders fell short against Eastern Oregon, 2-1, in the title game of the Cascade Conference Championships presented by U.S. Bank on Wednesday at Wheeler Field.
The red-hot Mountaineers, seeded No. 4 in the tournament, claimed the trophy for the second time in three years by scoring in the sixth minute and getting a two-goal cushion midway through the second half. Since starting the season at 2-3-5, they've gone 7-0-1 in their last eight games to snag an automatic NAIA National Tournament bid.
The 40-team bracket will be revealed at 4 p.m. Friday, and the Raiders (13-4-3) will need an at-large bid to get in. They remain a strong candidate after entering the week at No. 25 in the national RPI and bringing a six-game unbeaten streak into the final.
EOU put them on their heels early with a well-executed set piece started by Njabulo Nkosi's corner kick to the far post, which was redirected back toward the center by Jason Ortiz's head and finished by Maximo Melgard. In the 68th minute, Henry Lopez scored his fourth goal of the tournament and 10th of the season on a counter attack to make the score 2-0.
Ariel De Dios Cruz also pocketed his fourth score of the week and 10th of the fall in the 76th minute to move the Raiders within striking distance. At the end of a frantic sequence in which
Michael Mutchukian's header was denied at the line by a Mountaineers defender,
Jonathan Gaspar served a ball to De Dios Cruz in the box and he took a couple touches to create space again his defender before turning and firing with his left foot from 17 yards out.
But the Raiders couldn't muster anything else, especially after going a man down with just under seven minutes remaining. A couple more shots against pressure and a corner kick yielded nothing.
The Raiders, who had an 18-14 edge in total shots, were appearing in the final for the first time in three years. They're hoping to advance to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time since that same 2023 season.
