Orange Beach, Ala. — In the Round of Sixteen at the NAIA National Tournament, Warner Pacific University continued its Cinderella run, advancing to the quarterfinals after a 1-1 draw with No. 7-ranked LSU Shreveport and a dramatic, rain-soaked 4-3 penalty shootout victory.
The Knights, well accustomed to Portland weather, handled the Alabama downpour with poise but fell behind early. In the 16th minute, LSU Shreveport’s Jack Thomas broke through with a curling strike past a stunned Owen Purvis, one of only four attempts the Pilots mustered all match.
From that point forward, the match settled into a defensive slugfest. Warner Pacific generated seven total shots but relied heavily on its back line to limit the Pilots’ chances throughout. Despite several half-chances for both sides, neither team could add to the scoring until the Knights’ captain delivered once again.
With just over seven minutes remaining, Bodo Calderon stepped up in trademark fashion. On a free kick from the left hash, he bent a perfectly placed ball around the wall and inside the far-left post, leaving the Pilots’ keeper flat-footed and leveling the match at 1-1.
Both overtime periods featured limited attacking opportunities, though LSU Shreveport mounted late pressure with a pair of corners that Warner Pacific’s defense calmly defused. With the score unchanged after 110 minutes, the match headed to penalty kicks.
The Knights were clinical from the spot, converting through Calderon, Mario Jauregui, Damian Palominos, and El Wicho Gonzalez to take a 4-3 lead. LSU Shreveport’s final shooter, Caleb Marchany, struck the left post, his rebound ricocheting off Purvis’ foot and staying out to seal the victory.
Purvis finished with four saves during regulation and overtime, then came up even bigger in the shootout, stopping two PK attempts to help secure Warner Pacific’s seventh straight win, another built on the defensive toughness that has defined their postseason surge.
Next up, with only eight teams remaining, Warner Pacific advances to the NAIA Quarterfinals and will face the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) on Thursday, December 4 at 11 a.m. PT at the Orange Beach Sportsplex.