OKLAHOMA CITY – The No. 4 Mid-America Christian men's soccer team will be playing its final non-conference match before the start of Sooner Athletic Conference play tomorrow as the Evangels head to Bellevue, Neb. to take on the Bellevue Bruins. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Papillion Landing.
 
MACU SEASON REPORT

• Record: 6-1
• Last Match: Won vs. No. 4 Columbia (Mo.) – 2-0 – Sept. 12, 2022 – Dill Soccer Field
• Stat Leaders:
  • Rodrigo Albuquerque – GR – F
    • 4 Goals, 2 Assists, 10 Points, 26 Shots, 12 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Ricardo Ferreira – SO – F
    • 3 Goals, 1 Assist, 7 Points, 9 Shots, 5 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Jack Price – SR – M
    • 1 Goal, 4 Assists, 6 Points, 9 Shots, 4 SOG
  • Jeremi Abonnel – SO – GK
    • 6-1-0 W-L, 0.14 GAA, 18 Saves, .947 SV%, 6 SHO
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian is coming off its second win against an opponent ranked in the NAIA Top 10 Coaches' Poll as the Evangels defeated No. 4 Columbia (Mo.) by a score of 2-0 at the Dill Soccer Field on Sept. 12, marking the first loss of the season for the Cougars.
  • Graduate student forward Luan Cesar scored his second game-winning goal of the season at the start of the ninth minute when Jeremi Abonnel's clearance kick found the head of Rodrigo Albuquerque and bounced down the middle for the run of Cesar, who powered a 16-yard shot through to the left post to make it a 1-0 game.
  • Rodrigo Albuquerque netted his fourth goal of the season on a penalty kick in the 88^th minute when the Cougars' goalkeeper tripped up the Evangels' top striker while dribbling around him on a one-on-one opportunity, putting Liam Gibbs into the books with his second yellow card. Albuquerque juked new goalkeeper William Reese to dive toward the left side before slamming the PK into the right side to seal the 2-0 victory.
  • Mid-America Christian currently ranks third in the NAIA in shutouts (6) while also currently boasting the fourth-lowest goals allowed average (0.14).

SCOUTING REPORT
Bellevue (Neb.)

• Record: 2-4-2
• Last Match: Tied at Northwestern (Iowa) – 0-0 – Sept. 14, 2022 – Orange City, Iowa
• Series vs. MACU: MACU leads 2-0
• Last Match: MACU won 2-1 – Sept. 18, 2022 – Wichita, Kan.
• Players to Watch:
  • Daniel Smith – FR – M
    • 2 Goals, 4 Points, 10 Shots, 7 SOG
  • Jake Cover – SO – F
    • 2 Goals, 4 Points, 3 Shots, 3 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Antonio Capra – SO – F
    • 1 Goal, 2 Assists, 4 Points, 5 Shots, 1 SOG
  • Romeo Paparesta – FR – GK
    • 1-3-2 W-L, 0.83 GAA, 20 Saves, .800 SV%, 2 SHO
• Team Notes:
  • Bellevue is coming off a four-game road stretch to begin the month of September, going 0-2-2 during its road trip after tying Northwestern (Iowa) in its final match of the trip on Sept. 14.
  • After netting 14 goals and turning in a 2-2 record through the first four matches, the Bruins have struggled in the attack, going goalless and averaging just 7.3 shots per game in the last four contests.
  • Despite the offensive struggles, Bellevue still features a strong defense that has been enhanced by the play of freshman goalkeeper Romeo Paparesta. Since taking over as the starting keeper in the third match of the season, Paparesta is allowing just 0.83 goals per game and is saving 80 percent of opposing shots on-goal.
  • Despite the rough start to the season, Bellevue is a perennial NAIA powerhouse program, qualifying for five NAIA National Championship Tournaments since the 2014 season.
  • Mid-America Christian and Bellevue will be playing each other for the third straight year with this matchup marking the first on the Bruins' home turf. In last season's meeting at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kan., the Evangels came away with the 2-1 victory after Rodrigo Albuquerque pushed across the game-winning score in the 86^th minute, his second score of the contest.