COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Northwestern College men's soccer team's (16-4-1, 10-1 GPAC) season comes to a heart-breaking finish, falling to No. 2-seed the University of Rio Grande Red Storm (18-2-1) in Opening Round action of the NAIA national tournament at the Columbia-CMU Regional Thursday night.

A pivotal moment of the first half came in the 24^th minute when the Raiders were whistled for a foul in the box, allowing the Red Storm to get a penalty kick opportunity. Gabriel Silva would use fancy stop-and-go techniques but it wouldn't fool Ezekiel Foltz (Jr., Sioux Center, Iowa/Sioux Center) would make a phenomenal save diving to his left to keep the score 0-0.
 
In the 35^th minute, the Raiders would have an opportunity off a corner kick but James Bolger's (Jr., Boyle, Republic of Ireland/Abbey Community College) attempt to put it away was just wide right. In the 42^nd minute, the Red Storm had another prime opportunity to get on the board but once again it was Foltz who made a stellar save in the upper left corner of the net to ensure the match was scoreless at the half.
 
The first half proved to be a chippy one as 13 fouls were called between the two sides, as only eight total shots were taken. Rio Grande was able to put two shots on goal; the Raiders were unable to put any on goal in the first 45 minutes.
 
The University of Rio Grande came out on fire in the second half with three solid looks at goal in the first seven minutes. Foltz stayed busy, doing what he's done all season – making save after save. The Red Storm kept the pressure on most of the second half. With under 15 minutes left to go, the Raiders got a couple of looks but could not find the back of the net.
 
With seven and a half minutes left in regulation, the Red Storm get a ball that bounces off the crossbar to preserve the deadlock. With just two minutes to go, Rio Grande ricocheted ball into the net, but it would be called off for offsides against the Red Storm to keep the match scoreless.
 
The first overtime period continued to be Rio Grande putting the pressure on and in the 99^th minute, a bicycle kick goal would send the Red Storm to the Columbia-CMU Regional final.
 
Rio Grande mustered up 28 shots in the contest to the Raiders seven, as the Red Storm put 11 of them on goal. Foltz had a phenomenal night with 10 saves, being peppered all night long. Bolger put up three of the Raiders seven shots on the match.

Northwestern's phenomenal season ends after posting a program-tying 16 wins, ending with a record of 16-4-1. The Raiders picked up the program's second-ever GPAC title – first since 2004 – going 10-1 in league play, and claiming an automatic berth to the NAIA tournament for the first time since 2007.