CLAREMORE, Okla. - The Carroll College Men's Soccer Team advanced to the second round of the 2024 NAIA Men's Soccer Championship following a 3-1 win over Hope International in the First Round on Thursday afternoon at Soldier Field on the Campus of Rogers State University.
The Fighting Saints (15-3-3) kept their magical 2024 season marching on with a convincing 3-1 win over the Royals (14-4-3) in the opening round of the NAIA Championship.
After 20 hard-fought minutes, Carroll would find their first goal of the game, and first goal in NAIA Championship history. Following an HIU foul in the box, Felix Billard (Mallorca, Spain / SO) would put the Saints on the board with a no-doubter penalty kick goal to give Carroll a 1-0 advantage.
Carroll would continue to apply pressure throughout the first half, but would have to settle for a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
The Saints controlled the pace of the match, out-shooting the Royals 8-1 in the first 45 minutes.
As has been the case multiple times this season, the Saints came out of the halftime break hot. Just four minutes into the second frame Sam Loughton (Hull, England / SO) buried a second chance attempt following a great ball into the box by Caleb Hoxie (Helena, Mont. / GR) to give the Saints a well-earned insurance goal, 2-0.
The Royals wouldn't go down quietly, as Emi Amaro found a way to beat Carroll keeper Juan Muniz Navarrete (Hermiston, Ore. / SR) in the 55th minute to slice the Saints' lead in half, 2-1.
Carroll's persistent effort was rewarded in the 75th minute, however, as Alfie Snow (Middlesbrough, England / JR) scored with an assist from fellow forward Billard to give Carroll a 3-1 lead they would not surrender.
In total, Carroll out-shot HIU 19-10 in the match, while only three shots from the Royals would be on goal. Muniz Navarrete saved two of those three shots, and his stellar play in net helped set up a second round showdown for the Saints on Saturday.
Carroll will take on host-school Oklahoma Wesleyan, the No. 2 team in the NAIA, on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. (MST) with a spot at the NAIA Men's Soccer Championship final site on the line.
Visit www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of that match, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.
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