Statesmen Drop Semifinals Match, Await Nationals Selection Show

Baldwin City, Kan.--The No. 16 William Penn men's soccer team came up short in its bid to upset top-seeded Baker, falling 3-1 in the Heart Championship Semifinals Friday.

The fourth-seeded Statesmen (10-5-4) held a slight edge in total shots, outshooting the Wildcats 12-10, but were outmatched in shots on goal, 6-4.

WPU struck first in the 11th minute when Santiago Palacios (Grad., Denia, Spain, Master's of Sports Management) delivered a long ball to Albert Feixas (Jr., Santa Coloma de Farners, Spain, Exercise Science), who buried it past the keeper to give the visitors the early lead.

Baker responded quickly, equalizing in the 14th minute before taking the lead at 17:29. The Wildcats added another just before halftime to carry a 3-1 advantage into the break.

The Statesmen defense settled in during the second half, limiting Baker's chances, but the offense couldn't convert despite an 8-5 shot advantage after intermission.

Feixas led the attack with three shots, while Matias Meijide (Grad., Brunete, Spain, Master's of Organizational Leadership) and Javier Perez (Fr., Alicante, Spain, Business Management) each tallied two attempts.

Up Next: The Statesmen now await the NAIA Selection Show November 14 at 5 p.m. to see if their season will continue in the NAIA National Championship.