National Championship Semifinal No. 1 Recap

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – (Box Score) Defending national champion and top seed Hastings (Neb.) will return to a familiar scene after taking down No. 13 William Carey (Miss.), 2-1, at the Semifinals of the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship. The Broncos will take on the winner of No. 2 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and No. 3 Baker (Kan.) in tomorrow’s National Championship Final at 7 p.m. CST from the Orange Beach Sportsplex. Champions of the Great Plains Athletic Conference, Hastings becomes the first team since Lindsey Wilson (in 2000 and 2001) to get back to the title game in consecutive years.

“Our defense was well-organized and worked extremely hard for all 90 minutes,” said Hastings head coach Chris Kranjc. “William Carey is very good and here for a reason. I think we worked well with each other and I thought our pressing up front was good too. Our guys are mature and they have been here before.”

Hastings’ Jordan Green put his club up 1-0 right before the half in the 44th minute. That marker, which was assisted by Nate Polak, was his team-leading 23rd goal of the season. In the 51st minute, Southern States Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Luis Trude tied the score at 1-1 with an unassisted goal.

Green recorded his fourth goal of the tournament, which leads all individuals, for the game-winner in the 63rd minute.

Hastings (24-1-0) improved to 2-2 all-time in the Semifinals (2003, 2005, 2010 and 2011) thanks to the play of its defense and goalkeeper Cody Poteat. The senior from Lincoln, Neb., has now allowed just two goals in 360 minutes of postseason action.

William Carey ends its season with a 16-4-3 record and playing in its fourth-ever Semifinal (1997, 1998, 2001 and 2011). The Crusaders dropped their fourth Semifinal match.