Minneapolis, MN – North Central University (NCU) Men's Soccer team continued UMAC play at home in their match against the Bethany Lutheran College (BLC) Vikings. Last season, NCU faced Bethany Lutheran twice in league action, with the Vikings taking both contests. Despite the outcomes, the Rams showed flashes of growth and resilience against one of the conference's top programs. On Saturday afternoon at Elliot Park Field, NCU battled but ultimately fell 6-0.

North Central opened the match with strong defensive organization, backed by freshman goalkeeper Derick Stevens, who was immediately tested. Stevens made a series of early saves, including back-to-back stops in the opening 15 minutes that kept the Rams level. On the attacking end, Kefeyen Tita generated the Rams' first look at goal in the 10th minute, while Santiago Grams followed later with another shot that sailed just high. Bethany Lutheran pressed heavily and broke through midway through the first half, converting in the 22nd minute and again five minutes later to grab control of the scoreboard. Despite substitutions from Gerald Nolasco, Anthony Lopez Romero, and Michael Dagher aimed at settling the back line, the Rams were forced to defend deep. Stevens turned away several dangerous shots, but the visitors added two more goals before halftime to push the deficit to 4-0.

The Rams came out determined to regroup in the second half, making multiple lineup changes and looking to reset their shape. The defensive core of Francisco Ramirez, Emmanuel Benitez, and Wilfredo Chavez worked tirelessly to close down shooting lanes, while Christian Longo-Schumer and Samuel Tivane Jr. tried to spark counters up the field. Freshmen Elmer Polio Silva and Uziel Vazquez also provided energy off the bench, with Vazquez recording a late shot that narrowly missed the target. Even with the Rams battling, the Vikings extended their lead with two goals in quick succession in the 59th and 63rd minutes. From there, NCU dug in and leaned on Stevens, who delivered an impressive performance despite the scoreline. The freshman keeper racked up a career-high 14 saves, including 10 in the second half alone, denying multiple close-range opportunities and pushing shots wide to prevent the margin from growing further. Bethany Lutheran outshot NCU 36-3, with a 20-0 advantage in shots on goal and an 8-0 edge in corner kicks. The Vikings walked away with the 6-0 victory. 

Looking Ahead:

Up next, North Central will continue UMAC play at home, where they are set to face Crown College on Wednesday, October 1 at 2:00 PM.

As always, all fans are encouraged to tune into the official Rams Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (X) pages for updates on men's soccer and all things NCU Athletics.