Indianola, IA -- Monday, the North Central University (NCU) Men's Soccer team hit the road for a challenging non-conference matchup against NCAA Division III opponent Simpson College. The contest, held at Bill Buxton Stadium, marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs. Despite a hard-fought defensive effort, the Rams fell 2-0 to the Storm.

NCU opened the match in a defensive shell, facing heavy pressure early from the Simpson attack. First-year keeper Derick Stevens was quickly called into action, making three saves in the opening 18 minutes, including a pair of sharp stops against low-driven efforts from the top of the box. After a handful of corner kicks and sustained pressure, the Simpson Storm broke through in the 18th minute, converting a well-connected sequence into the game's opening goal. Despite the setback, the Rams settled into a rhythm, creating their best look of the half in the 39th minute when Rody Cuate Torres found space for a shot on frame, forcing the Simpson keeper into his only save of the game. While Simpson held a 12-1 shot advantage and 6-0 edge in corners through the opening 45 minutes, North Central's resilience kept the deficit at 1-0 heading into halftime.

The Rams returned from the break looking to spark their attack, inserting key substitutions and upping their tempo. Senior midfielder Ricardo Vera Martinez registered a shot in the 59th minute, and the Rams earned their lone corner kick of the match shortly after. Despite the shift, the Simpson offense continued to test NCU's backline, as Stevens denied back-to-back chances in the 64th and 66th minutes. A second Simpson goal came in the 76th minute off a quick strike following a substitution cycle, extending the lead to 2-0. Down the stretch, Kefeyen Tita attempted to pull one back in the 89th minute with a long-range effort that missed just over the bar. NCU was outshot 21-3 overall (9-1 in shots on goal) and trailed 8-1 in corner kicks. Tonight's physical battle was also the most undisciplined the Rams looked, committing a season-high 17 fouls. NCU is still in search of its first win of the season after a 2-0 loss to the Storm. 
 
Looking Ahead:

Up next, the team returns home to Elliot Park Field for their first match of the season on home turf to take on Saint John's this Thursday, September 11th at 3:30 PM. 

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.