CHICAGO, Ill. -- Riding an 18-match unbeaten streak and fresh off a College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Tournament championship, the No. 21 North Park men's soccer team is headed back to the NCAA Tournament. The Vikings (13-1-5) will open national tournament play Saturday, November 14, against Whitman College (14-3-3) at Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
After a season-opening loss to nationally sixth-ranked Chicago, the Vikings have not lost again, compiling an 18-match unbeaten run that included a share of the CCIW regular-season title and the program's sixth conference tournament championship.
The Vikings' success has been fueled by one of the most balanced attacks in the region. Freshman forward Gustav Finér leads the team with 23 points on nine goals and five assists, while senior forward Carson Belcher, the CCIW Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year, has matched Finér with nine goals and added four assists. Junior midfielder Bastian Eikeland has chipped in seven goals and five assists, including scoring the PK winner against Augustana in the CCIW Semifinals.
Offensively, the Vikings have outscored opponents 41-18, averaging 2.16 goals per contest while allowing less than one goal per game. North Park has also controlled play statistically, holding advantages in shots and shots on goal throughout the season.
North Park closed the regular season with victories over Elmhurst, Millikin, and Carroll, securing a share of the conference championship. The Vikings then opened the CCIW Tournament with a 1-0 semifinal victory over Augustana. After controlling possession and creating chance after chance, North Park finally broke through in the 89th minute when Eikeland converted the aforementioned penalty kick to send the Vikings into the conference title match.
In the championship match, North Park twice battled back against Wheaton in an entertaining 3-3 draw before claiming the tournament crown in a penalty-kick shootout. Eikeland, freshman midfielder Hampus Fogelberg, sophomore midfielder Vilmer af Klinteberg, and senior forward Emil Svenander all provided key contributions as the Vikings secured the automatic NCAA berth. Junior goalkeeper Melker Regland entered specifically for the shootout and delivered two crucial saves before Belcher converted the title-clinching penalty kick.
North Park's defense has been equally impressive throughout the campaign. Sophomore goalkeeper Arvid Skoglund has recorded seven shutouts and a goals-against average below 1.00, while Regland has provided quality depth in net. Anchored by junior defender Dennis Rinne and a veteran back line, the Vikings have posted 10 shutouts and surrendered just 18 goals in 19 matches.
Standing opposite the Vikings will be a talented Whitman College squad that earned the Northwest Conference's automatic bid. The Blues enter the NCAA Tournament with a 14-3-3 record after winning the conference regular-season championship. Whitman is led offensively by Kevin Serrano, who has scored nine goals this season, while Nathan Alvarado has added five goals and five assists. Defensively, goalkeeper Niclas Isensee has helped the Blues allow just 16 goals in 20 matches.
Saturday's matchup features two conference champions with remarkably similar formulas for success. Both teams combine disciplined defending with balanced scoring attacks and enter the tournament playing their best soccer of the season.
The winner of Saturday's match will advance to face either host No. 21 Saint John's or Milwaukee School of Engineering in the second round on Sunday.
