PORTLAND, Ore. - Avenging a loss earlier in the season to Warner Pacific, Concordia defeated the Knights 2-0 at David Douglas High School on Friday to secure the regular season Cascade Collegiate Conference men’s soccer championship.

Concordia improved to 14-2-0 on the season and 11-1-0 in CCC play. The Cavaliers will travel to face College of Idaho on Saturday in its regular season finale and will enter the CCC Tournament as the No.1 seed with the league’s automatic bid into the NAIA National Championships on the line. Warner Pacific fell to 8-7-1 overall and 8-4-0 in the CCC with the loss.

Warner Pacific will try to qualify for the post season tomorrow as they host Corban University. Game time is 4:15 p.m. at David Douglas High School.

CU’s Jared Brace (Vancouver, Wash./Columbia River H.S.) scored early and scored late for the contest’s lone breakthroughs. Brace gave the Cavs a 1-0 lead in the 7th minute after a distribution from teammate Shaonovan Wilson (Jackson Town, Jamaica). Brace returned for the late insurance goal in the 88th minute after stealing the ball deep in Warner Pacific’s territory and firing in to the net with just the keeper to beat.

The two-goal tally was the second of the season for the sophomore forward and the fifth of his career.

 

“The guys came out with intent to get right after it in this game and getting that early goal certainly changed things,” CU head coach Dan Birkey said. “It definitely puts you in the position of being chased instead of the chaser, but it does allow you to take a different tact in the game having secured that advantage.”

Claudio Lazar (Ploiesti, Romania) collected two saves to earn the shutout, Concordia’s school-record 12th of the season. The Cavaliers allowed three goals in the team’s season opener and have since allowed just three more goals over the past 15 matches.

“You aren’t going to find a lot of space and time in a game against a top team. There was a lot of pressure on both sides of the ball,” Birkey said.

Warner Pacific’s Sean Ervin stopped seven shots in the loss.

After outshooting the Knights 10-to-7 through the first 45 minutes, Concordia managed a slim 7-to-6 edge in attempts in the second half for a 17-13 overall lead. Warner Pacific registered six corners compared to just two for the visiting side.

 

“I have to give Warner Pacific credit,” Birkey said. “They upped the tempo and asked a lot of our back line in the second half.”