OKLAHOMA CITY – The two top teams in the Sooner Athletic Conference will take to the Alumni Field pitch on Saturday night in Siloam Springs, Arkansas as the No. 1 MACU men's soccer team will battle current conference leader John Brown at 7 p.m. in a match that will play a massive role in determining the league's regular season champion.
 
SEASON REPORT

• Record: 11-0-3 (5-0-1 SAC)
• Last Match: Won at Wayland Baptist (Texas) – 2-1 – Oct. 17, 2023 – Plainview, Texas
• Top Performers:
  • Jack Price – SR – F
    • 9 Goals, 3 Assists, 21 Points, 35 Shots, 20 SOG, 4 GWG
  • Kolby Godbolt – JR – F
    • 6 Goals, 12 Points, 27 Shots, 12 SOG, 2 GWG
  • Yasha Schaerer – FR – M
    • 3 Goals, 4 Assists, 10 Points, 30 Shots, 13 SOG, 2 GWG
  • Charlie Betts – JR – F
    • 4 Goals, 1 Assist, 9 Points, 27 Shots, 10 SOG, 1 GWG
  • Claudio Fuentealba – JR – GK
    • 10-0-2 W-L, 0.83 GAA, 29 Saves, .744 SV%, 4 SHO
• Team Notes:
  • Mid-America Christian is coming off its most thrilling win of the season at Wayland Baptist on Tuesday when Charlie Betts recorded his first career game-winner in the final seconds, firing a rocket from the right side to inside the left post with two seconds left to seal the 2-1 result.
  • It was the second time this season the Evangels netted either a game-tying or game-winning goal in the final minute as Federico Palacios netted the long-range equalizer with 24 seconds left in a massive 2-2 draw at No. 15 MidAmerica Nazarene on Sept. 4 in Olathe, Kansas.
  • The victory allowed the Evangels to stay within striking distance of current SAC leader John Brown, as the Evangels with a league record of 5-0-1 (16 points) are just two points back of the Golden Eagles, who enter the weekend with 18 points on a 6-0-0 SAC mark. JBU will prove to be another massive opponent on MACU's already challenging schedule as the Golden Eagles are the eighth foe the Evangels have faced this year that are either ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 Poll.
  • The winner of Saturday's match will be in the driver's seat to claim the SAC regular season crown as no other team is within seven points of JBU or MACU with just three games left in the SAC slate.

SCOUTING REPORT
(RV) John Brown (Ark.)

• Record: 9-4 (6-0 SAC)
• Last Match: Won vs. Central Christian (Kan.) – 4-2 – Oct. 17, 2023 – Siloam Springs, Ark.
• Series vs MACU (2008-): JBU leads 10-7-1
• Last Match vs MACU: MACU won 1-0 – Nov. 8, 2023 – Dill Soccer Field (SAC Semifinal)
• Series Streak: MACU won 7
• Players to Watch:
  • Oscar Carballo – SR – M
    • 9 Goals, 9 Assists, 27 Points, 42 Shots, 24 SOG, 2 GWG
  • Erick Diaz – SR – F
    • 5 Goals, 10 Assists, 20 Points, 45 Shots, 22 SOG, 3 GWG
  • Alejandro Ramirez – JR – F
    • 8 Goals, 4 Assists, 20 Points, 30 Shots, 16 SOG, 2 GWG
  • Kyle Hix – JR – GK
    • 8-2 W-L, 1.33 GAA, 27 Saves, .659 SV%, 4 SHO
• Team Notes:
  • John Brown is coming off a big home win against Central Christian on Tuesday as the Golden Eagles netted three goals in the first 31 minutes before holding on for the 4-2 victory.
  • JBU has been the top-scoring team in SAC play this season as the Golden Eagles are averaging 3.33 goals per contest against league competition as the matchup with top-ranked MACU will be an offense versus defensive battle as the Evangels are the SAC's best defense, coming in at a 1.17 goals allowed average against SAC foes.
  • A bulk load of the Golden Eagles offense will run through the trio of seniors Oscar Carballo, Erick Diaz and Alejandro Ramirez, who have combined to score 22 of JBU's 36 goals this season while Ramirez has been JBU's best player in SAC play, sitting in a tie with MACU's Jack Price for the league-lead in points at 15 and Carballo sits in third at 14.
  • While John Brown leads the all-time series, Mid-America Christian will be trying to extend its win streak over the Golden Eagles to eight as the Evangels have won every meeting since the 2018 season. The two teams last met in the Sooner Athletic Conference Semifinal at the Dill Soccer Field on Nov. 8, 2022 as the Evangels netted the only goal of the match in the 87^th minute to advance to the title match with the 1-0 win. When the two teams last met in Siloam Springs on Oct. 23, 2021, MACU won a thriller when Bruno Sperandio netted the golden goal in the 102^nd minute of double overtime to wrap-up the 3-2 victory.