No. 3 Rio Grande (Ohio) Erupts for Four First-Half Goals in 4-0 Blanking of Biola (Calif.)
Dec. 2, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. – (box score) No. 3 Rio Grande overwhelmed Biola (Calif.) with four goals in the first half and went on to a 4-0 victory in the third Quarterfinal game of the NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship on Wednesday at Ramirez Field. Rio Grande will play No. 15 seed The Master’s (Calif.) on Friday at 4:30 p.m. PST. The Master’s was a 3-1 winner over No. 7 Notre Dame (Ohio) earlier today. Rio Grande will participate in its fourth Semifinal, including its second straight.
In a game marred by 39 combined fouls, there was hardly any flow to the match. Joel Theissen put up the game’s first goal in the 25th minute. He bent a direct free kick around the defensive wall for his third goal of the year. He would later add another marker in similar style coming off a free kick in the 38th minute. Before that, Scott Bibby found the back of the net in the 34th minute to give URG a 2-0 lead.
Dylan Williams gave Rio Grande a 4-0 margin in the first half with his shot in the 44th minute. Bibby was credited with the assist.
Goalkeeper Jordan Lower recorded two saves in the win in the net. Lower and his defense faced 10 overall shots. Rio Grande finished with 15 overall shots, including seven on goal.
Biola concludes its season with a 13-5-4 record. The Eagles participated in their third overall Championship and first since 1987.
Rio Grande advanced to the national title game a year ago before losing 2-1 to Bethel (Tenn.) in overtime.
Hosted by Fresno Pacific (Calif.) University and the Fresno Sports Council, the Championship will continue with the fourth Quarterfinal game of the day between No. 1 Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Martin Methodist (Tenn.) at 7 p.m. PST. For more information on the Championship, click here.
NOTES: The 4-0 shutout is the largest margin of victory in the Championship overall since Bethel (Tenn.) defeated No. 1 seed Oklahoma City in the Semifinals of the 2008 Championship… Rio Grande stands 2-1 all-time in Semifinal action and plays a Master’s squad in its first Semifinal… The shutout for Rio Grande was its fourth in the last six matches.
