GREENVILLE, Ill. - The men's soccer team completed their ascent back to the NCAA national tournament with a 1-0 win over Iowa Wesleyan at home on Saturday. The win gives Greenville their fourth appearance in the NCAA nationals, building on the legacy started with the 2008, 2010, and 2011 squads.
The appearance in the national championships is the first under the leadership of head coach Chris Swift who assumed reigns of the program in 2013.
The first 45 minutes of the game featured a scoreless battle that saw the Panthers hold a 7-3 lead in shots, but they were not able to push through with a goal.
The second half was much of the same with Greenville holding a 9-6 advantage in shots. The Panthers finally received the break they needed when a foul was called in the box with 1:47 remaining in the match. Juan Jose Herranz managed to convert the kick to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
Greenville's defense held Iowa Wesleyan at bay over the final 107 seconds to gain the victory.
Goalkeeper Nick Holland produced his seventh shutout with five saves.
The All-Tournament team included four Panthers, headlined by Edgar Bueno who was the tournament MVP. Herranz, Michael Gonzalez, and Ruben Martinez joined Bueno as all-tournament selections.
Following the match, the SLIAC formally announced its all-conference teams. Greenville had three members of the first team - Jared McPeek, Herranz, and Bueno. Herranz was voted by conference coaches as the Newcomer of the Year.
Martinez and Holland were chosen for the second team, and Adam Jones and Charles Dalton received third team accolades. Caleb Mulholland was named to the All-Sportsmanship team as Greenville's representative.
The Panthers (15-4-2) will advance to the NCAA Division III national championships, and they will discover their destination on Monday, Nov. 5, at Noon.