(Editor’s note: Rocky Mountain College athletics release)
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — Rocky’s men’s soccer team defeated Southern Oregon in a penalty shootout to claim the Cascade Collegiate Conference championship.
The Battlin’ Bears and the Southern Oregon Raiders matched each other step-by-step.
The Raiders held only a 14-13 shot-advantage over the Battlin’ Bears, while both teams attempted seven shots on goal. Both goalkeepers recorded six saves with only one goal allowed.
Southern Oregon’s Mitchell Pinney knocked in a header with an assist from Brendan Allen in the 58th minute.
Rocky’s Tulio Melo found the back of the net from 18 yards out off a corner-kick from Sky Swenson.
Neither team was able to score in the two overtime periods.
Marking a first for the Cascade Collegiate Conference since the beginning of the current single-site tournament, a championship match was decided in a penalty kick shootout.
Goalkeeper Kristofer Wennin and accurate Rocky shooting powered the Battlin’ Bears to a 4-3 win in penalty kicks.
The Battlin’ Bears will continue their season in the 2018 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship. The NAIA will announce the championship bracket on Monday.
Northwest University won the Cascade Collegiate Conference’s women’s title, defeating No. 1 seed Eastern Oregon 1-0 in the championship match.
