MEDFORD, Ore. — After winning the regular-season crown, Carroll College's bid for a Cascade Collegiate Conference men's soccer tournament championship fell short Thursday in a 2-0 loss to Eastern Oregon at Wheeler Field.
It was Carroll's first appearance in the CCC championship match in the 10-year history of the program.
After a scoreless first half, Angel Sandoval and Abner Hernandez scored goals to push the Mountaineers to victory. Sandoval scored in the 47th minute on an assist from Marcos Bravo, and Hernandez tacked on a goal on an assist from Tawanda Rice in the 78th minute.
Top-seeded Carroll outshot No. 4 seed EOU 20-15, with nine of those attempts being on goal. The Mountaineers put three of their shots on frame. Eastern Oregon goalkeeper Anthony Lemus made eight saves to preserve a clean sheet.
Despite the loss, Carroll (14-3-3) had already clinched an automatic berth to the NAIA national tournament, which begins Nov. 21. Eastern Oregon (11-3-4) has also clinched a bid to the national tourney.
Carroll advanced to the title game with a 2-1 semifinal win over Oregon Tech on Tuesday. The Mounties advanced with an overtime victory over Warner Pacific.
