ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Concordia University Texas men's soccer team closed out the regular season with a dominant 3-0 shutout victory over the University of Dallas on Sunday evening at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex.
The Tornados (10-5-1, 8-1 SCAC) secured the No. 2 seed in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Tournament, earning a first-round bye and advancing directly to Friday's semifinal round.
Lorenzo Maule, Andres Munoz and Kannan Plowden each found the back of the net, while Concordia's defense limited Dallas to just five shots throughout the contest.
After a competitive opening half, the Tornados broke through in the 41st minute when Andres Munoz connected with Lorenzo Maule, who buried his opportunity with a header to give Concordia a 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.
The Purple and Gold wasted little time extending their lead in the second half. In the 53rd minute, Xabian Ruiz set up Munoz for Concordia's second goal of the evening, doubling the advantage to 2-0.
Concordia continued to apply offensive pressure, controlling possession and creating scoring opportunities throughout the second half. The Tornados registered 14 shots after halftime, compared to just one for Dallas.
Following a Dallas red card in the 67th minute, Concordia capitalized on a penalty kick opportunity in the 72nd minute. Kannan Plowden stepped up and converted from the spot, extending the lead to 3-0 and putting the match out of reach.
The Tornados finished with an 18-5 advantage in shots, including an 8-2 edge in shots on goal. Concordia also controlled the corner kick battle, earning eight opportunities compared to two for Dallas.
Defensively, Leonel Cuellar recorded two saves in 71:40 of action before Luke Briggs entered for the final 18:20. The goalkeeper duo combined for the shutout, preserving Concordia's clean sheet.
Munoz led the offensive effort with three shots, two on goal, one goal and one assist. Plowden added two shots on goal, while Maule converted his lone shot into a goal.
With the regular season complete, Concordia Texas will enter the SCAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed, earning a first-round bye into the semifinals.
The Tornados will return to action on Friday at 7:30 p.m., facing the winner of the quarterfinal matchup between LeTourneau University and the University of Dallas.
Concordia will look to carry its momentum into the postseason as the Tornados pursue an SCAC Tournament championship and an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship.
To keep up to date with everything surrounding the CTX men's soccer program, follow us on social media @ctxathletics and visit athletics.concordia.edu.
