Men's Soccer to Host Pizza Ranch Classic

Raiders welcome Ottawa and Trinity Christian to the NWC Soccer Complex

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – The Northwestern men's soccer team is scheduled to host two matches this weekend as a part of the 2022 Pizza Ranch Classic. The No. 25-ranked Red Raiders will play Ottawa (Kan.) out of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) on Friday, September 2 at 5:00 p.m. and Trinity Christian (Ill.) of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) on Saturday, September 3 at 5:00 p.m. Both matches will be held at the NWC Soccer Complex in Orange City.

LAST TIME OUT
The Raiders are coming off of an 0-2 opening weekend in Salem, Oregon where they fell 3-0 to Corban (Ore.) and 1-0 to Northwest (Wash.). Northwestern was picked to finish first in the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Preseason Poll after garnering the GPAC regular season title in 2021.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
After closing 2021 with a 5-11-2 record, the Ottawa Braves come to Orange City on Friday night with an 0-1-1 record. The Braves began the year facing No. 9 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), falling 6-2 on the road. Ottawa is most recently coming off of a 1-1 tie with Oklahoma Panhandle State. Bence Molnar leads the team in goals this season, finding the back of the net three times. The Braves will travel to Sioux Center on Saturday for a matchup with the Dordt Defenders.

After facing Dordt on Friday, Trinity Christian will face the Raiders on Saturday evening. The Trolls opened their 2022 campaign with a 1-0 loss to Cornerstone (Mich.). Following a matchup with Taylor (Ind.) on Wednesday, Trinity Christian comes to Iowa to play back-to-back matches with Dordt and Northwestern. The Trolls are led by head coach Eric Salley, who is entering his seventh season at the helm. Trinity Christian finished the 2021 season with a record of 6-11-1.

For more information, box scores, and game notes, go to the page linked at the top of the story.

ABOUT PIZZA RANCH
Cultivating its mission "To give every guest a legendary experience" since its inception in 1981, Pizza Ranch connects with its communities in a way that provides bridges for friends, family and colleagues to come together. Today, Pizza Ranch is based in Orange City, Iowa and owns, operates and franchises more than 210 locations in 14 states. Consistent growth has been a Pizza Ranch staple, as the brand has become a beacon of community involvement and exceptional food. The Pizza Ranch buffet features legendary pizzas, crispy ranch chicken, salads and desserts, and is delivered with an unmatched service quality.

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