OKLAHOMA CITY – For the second straight year, the No. 2 Mid-America Christian men's soccer team will host the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament as the top seed as the Evangels will face off against eighth-seeded Wayland Baptist in the quarterfinal round at Dill Soccer Field on Saturday night. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
MACU SEASON REPORT
- Record: 14-1-2 (7-0-2 SAC)
- Last Match: Won at Oklahoma Panhandle State – 2-0 – Oct. 28, 2022 – Goodwell, Okla.
- Top Performers:
- Rodrigo Albuquerque – GR – F
- 11 Goals, 4 Assists, 26 Points, 51 Shots, 24 SOG, 2 GWG
- Ricardo Ferreira – SO – F
- 9 Goals, 3 Assists, 21 Points, 35 Shots, 2 SOG, 3 GWG
- Jack Price – SR – M
- 5 Goals, 6 Assists, 16 Points, 32 Shots, 17 SOG, 1 GWG
- Mason Gonzalez – SR – D/F
- 6 Goals, 1 Assist, 13 Points, 16 Shots, 10 SOG, 3 GWG
- Jeremi Abonnel – SO – GK
- 14-1-2 W-L, 0.42 GAA, 37 Saves, .841 SV%, 11 SHO, 1 CBO
- Team Notes:
- For the second straight year, Mid-America Christian went undefeated in Sooner Athletic Conference play with a 7-0-2 mark after defeating Oklahoma Panhandle State 2-0 at Anchor D Stadium on Oct. 28. Mason Gonzalez netted his third game-winning goal of the season and his second of the week just 20 seconds into the match.
- After scoring three goals in last week's SAC regular season sealing finales, Gonzalez was tabbed with the league's Offensive Player of the Week award. Gonzalez is the only player in the SAC to garner both an offensive and defensive POTW honor.
- The Evangels enter SAC play as one of the best offensive and defensive teams in the league. MACU leads the conference in goals allowed average at 0.41 and ranks second in goals per game average at 2.88, holding a league-best 2.47 goal differential. In conference play, the Evangels finished first in the SAC in scoring average at 3.00 gpg and allowed a SAC-low 0.67 scores per contest.
- The Evangels are balanced in their offensive attack with four players scoring five or more goals on the season. MACU has had four 5-plus goal scorers in each of the last four seasons.
SCOUTING REPORT
Wayland Baptist (Texas)
- Record: 6-8-2 (3-5-1 SAC)
- Last Match: Lost at Southwestern Christian (Okla.) – 1-0 – Oct. 29, 2022 – Bethany, Okla.
- Series vs. MACU (2009-): MACU leads 9-8
- Last Match vs. MACU: MACU won 3-0 – Sept. 27, 2022 – Dill Soccer Field
- Players to Watch:
- Bryan Alfaro – SR – M
- 7 Goals, 1 Assist, 15 Points, 31 Shots, 16 SOG, 2 GWG
- Daniel Ruiz – JR – M
- 5 Goals, 3 Assists, 13 Points, 30 Shots, 10 SOG
- Santiago Hernandez – GR – M
- 2 Goals, 4 Assists, 8 Points, 25 Shots, 9 SOG, 2 GWG
- Yoherlian Bejarano – JR – GK
- 3-3-1 W-L, 2.14 GAA, 29 Saves, .659 SV%
- Team Notes:
- Wayland Baptist enters SAC Tournament play coming off a pair of losses, the first in a 4-1 decision at home against Science & Arts on Oct. 29 and the other a 1-0 defeat at Southwestern Christian on Nov. 5.
- The Pioneers have especially struggled against SAC competition, scoring the third-fewest goals in league play at 12 (1.33 gpg) and are allowing the third-most goals at 20 (2.35 gpg).
- WBU currently has just two players that have scored double-digit points in senior midfielder Bryan Alfaro and junior midfielder Daniel Ruiz. Alfaro leads the team with seven goals and an assist for 15 points while Ruiz has netted five goals and dished out three dimes for 13 points.
- While MACU holds just a slim 9-8 lead in the all-time series, the Evangels have fared well against the Pioneers since 2018, winning six straight meetings. In their regular season meeting at the Dill Soccer Field on Sept. 27, the two teams played to a scoreless draw going into half, but the Evangels found their stride in the second half. MACU netted three goals with Cesar Ramirez scoring the game-winner in the 52nd minute while Ricardo Ferreira and Diego Real each scoring to come away with the 3-0 victory.
