MATTHEWS, NC - Head Coach Carlos Rubio and the Lenoir-Rhyne men's soccer team look to continue their improbable run today as they face the #1 seeded Limestone Saints for the SAC Championship. The game is set to take place at 1:00 p.m. at the Matthews Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina. 

The Matchup: The Bears and Saints have played just one time this year, with Limestone taking down Lenoir-Rhyne in a 1-0 rain soaked game in Hickory. Following a two hour rain delay, Limestone's Johan Morel headed in the game winner in the 58th minute of play. Lenoir-Rhyne is just 4-13-1 all-time against the Saints, having last beaten them in a 1-0 victory on September 9, 2017. This is the second year in a row these teams will have played in the SAC Tournament, as least year the Saints won a tight 1-0 battle to advance to the championship game. This game is a matchup between the last two SAC Tournament Champions, as the Bears won the title in 2022 and the Saints in 2023.

Lenoir-Rhyne Profile: The Bears currently sit at 8-7-1 (5-5-1 SAC) and have not lost since an October 30th defeat vs. Francis Marion. Coming into the SAC Tournament as the #6 seed, Lenoir-Rhyne went into #3 Anderson and left victorious after a winner from Raul Canas with just one second remaining. They then moved on to face #2 seeded Coker in the semis. The Cobras, who were also seeded #1 in the region and #4 in the country, struck first, scoring just before the half. Daniel Martinez's header in the 47th minute forced overtime, where the Martinez magic happened again, as he scored a volley just five minutes in to send the Bears to the championship. Lenoir-Rhyne has been led this year by senior defender Harri Rowe, who leads the team with 14 points, coming off three goals and eight assists. Raul Canas (5g, 2a) and Daniel Martinez (4g, 2a) have also been key contributors. Junior goalkeeper Tomas Fontes was the unsung hero against Coker, as his six saves helped keep the game in reach. 

Limestone Profile: The Saints have been a dominant force this season, finishing with a 13-1-3 (9-1-1 SAC) record. Their only loss this year came in a 1-0 defeat at Lincoln Memorial two weeks ago. Limestone has run through the quarterfinals and semis, taking down #8 Wingate 5-0 in the quarters before take care of Mars Hill 4-2 in the semis. The Limestone defense has been nothing short of historic this year, as they are second in the country with just eight goals allowed all season. Their 36-goal differential ranks them fourth in the country. Ranked #4 in the region and #8 in the country, the Saints are led by graduate student Mark Radoki, who led the team with 25 points, coming off 10 goals and five assists. Flying down the wing will be defender Stefan Roeb, who is tied for fifth in the country with 12 assists. After falling in the national quarterfinals last season, this Limestone team is looking to make a run all the way to the national championship. 

Game Information: This game is set to kickoff at 1:00 p.m. from the Matthews Sportsplex in Matthews, North Carolina. All Lenoir-Rhyne students will get their tickets paid for by the school, just show your LR ID at the front gate. A daily adult ticket is $10, and covers both the men's and women's championship games. The Lenoir-Rhyne women's soccer team is set to take on Lincoln Memorial at 4:00 p.m. for a chance at their own conference title.