MATTHEWS, N.C. - After hoisting the 2022 SAC Men's Soccer Title a year ago, the Lenoir-Rhyne Men's Soccer Team makes its return to the Sportsplex at Matthews for the semi-final round of the 2023 SAC Men's Soccer Tournament.
Following their exhilarating 2-1 victory over Catawba back on Sunday, the Bears will now face the No. 2 seeded Limestone Saints. The two sides faced off in Gaffney, S.C. on Sept. 16 when the Saints blanked the Bears, 2-0.
However, times have changed for the Bears as they have gone eight-straight matches without being handed a defeat and closed out the regular season with three clean sheets.
Juan Basabe, who has been a three-time recipient of SAC Defensive Player of the Week, currently ranks in the top five in save percentage (.778) and goals-against average (0.93) in the conference.
Although the second half of the season has been much more prosperous, the Bears at times have had to make some shifts in the Starting XI. They will have to do so as well with Harri Rowe being suspended for the match against Limestone and the potential championship match on Sunday.
After the victory on Sunday, head coach Carlos Rubio praised his team's resilience and ability to adapt to the changes in formation. Rubio, who is in his first season as the head coach of the Lenoir-Rhyne Men's Soccer program, served as the goalkeeper coach for the previous five seasons and experienced the conference title celebration a year ago.
Throughout October, Macoy Strawn has seen an increase in his production on the pitch being the next man up when some regular starters are not eligible to participate. The sophomore appeared in only two matches in 2022, but the midfielder has made eight starts and will cross the 600-minute mark on Friday.
LR will get some key pieces back into its lineup on Friday with Adrian Martina and Hector Nieto coming off suspensions due to yellow card accumulation.
Martina, who leads the Bears with 21 points and eight goals, tallied at least a point in each of the last five matches of the regular season. Meanwhile, Nieto has started in 13 matches for the Bears and ranks seventh on the team with 1112 minutes.
Despite the rising times, LR will have to pull off something it has not done since 2017 – Defeat Limestone. In their previous six meetings, the Bears have come short against the Saints. The last time the two sides met in the postseason came in Young Harris, Ga. back on Nov. 19, 2021, where Limestone defeated LR, 3-2, in double overtime.
Kickoff for the SAC Semi-Final is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. The contest will be held at the Sportsplex at Matthews and will be live streamed on Flo Sports.
The winner of the second semi-final match will face either No. 1 seeded Wingate or No. 4 seeded Lincoln Memorial. That match will be played directly ahead of the LR-Limestone contest at 5 p.m. The 2023 SAC Men's Soccer Championship Match is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m. from the Sportsplex at Matthews in Matthews, N.C.
