WICHITA, Kan. — It was an NAIA Top 15 battle in the Round of 16 and an opportunity to be the last Crossroads League team standing in the NAIA National Tournament at the Scheels Stryker Sports Complex Tuesday night. The #13 Bethel Pilots (13-6-2) played with a man down for most of the match due to a red card in the 38th minute but still held strong despite the disadvantage against the NAIA fifth-ranked William Penn Statesmen (18-2-3).
The Statesmen struck first in the 12th minute off a cross into the box, but Piero Sabroso answered in the 22nd minute from a pass by Jona Toussaint for the equalizing header, 1-1.
The offensive onslaught continued with William Penn taking the lead in the 38th minute before a red card was issued to the Pilots, making them a man down for the rest of the match and went into halftime down 2-1.
Sabroso was close to tying the match in the 53rd minute from Sami Charaf Amal’s corner and survived a Statesmen attempt in the 54th minute.
Manuel Garcia also had a chance to tie the match in the 66th minute off a corner by Andres Gonzalez Maza, then another by Gonzalez Maza in the 71st minute but missed high.
The Statesmen hit the dagger in the 82nd minute and would avenge their loss to the Pilots in the NAIA First Round back in 2022, 3-1.
Bethel has ended the season and will return to action in the fall of 2025.