Mishawaka, Ind. — After an exciting National Championship run, the Men’s Soccer staff has been awarded the Men’s Soccer National Staff of the Year award.
This season the Pilots were able to dominate and end the regular season with a record of 16-1-1 and a perfect 9-0 in Crossroads League play to secure the program’s 17th regular season championship. The lone loss was to then NAIA third ranked Central Methodist 2-1 who ended their season in the NAIA second round to Rio Grande (Ohio) 1-0. Bethel would accrue 22 wins in a row with key wins against #22 Indiana Wesleyan 2-0, #10 Grace College 2-1, and Receiving Votes Huntington University 3-1.
The Pilots would then win its 11th Crossroads League Tournament championship after defeating Spring Arbor 1-0 on a penalty kick scored by Eduardo da Silva in the 67th minute.
Bethel would host its first NAIA First and Second round in a snowy weekend where Men’s Soccer would nearly sweep the two matches against William Penn (Iowa) 3-1 and NAIA 23rd ranked Hastings (Neb.) 3-0.
The NAIA National Championship would be exciting for the Pilots who outscored their opponents 8-2. In the quarterfinal Bethel defeated fifth ranked Georgia Gwinnett 3-0 with an early goal by Luan Bressy and an assist by Andres Gonzalez Maza in the sixth minute, a goal by Joao de Oliveira and assist by NAIA Player of the Year Tim Noeding in the 86th minute and an unassisted goal by Piero Sabroso in the 89th minute.
The 20th ranked Rio Grande Red Storm would be the tightest match of the tournament outlasting them 2-1. Eduardo da Silva would score in the 57th minute and the 75th minute on penalty kicks before the Red Storm almost made a comeback with a goal in the 89th minute.
Then there was the first NAIA National Tournament match in the Pilots’ history where the championship would be secured 3-1 and denied the University of Mobile (Ala.) their second National Championship in a row. Luan Bressy would score unassisted in the 12th minute and again in the 15th minute this time assisted by Noeding. Piero Sabroso would score another insurance goal off a double assist by Noeding and Julian Vargas to secure the 2022 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship.
Congratulations to Head Coach Thiago Pinto, Associate Head Coach Mamba Chisoni, Assistant Coaches Eduardo Ferreira and Romulo Nobrega, Goalkeepers Coach Vern Gingerich, Graduate Assistants Felipe de Moura and Jose Soutullo, Team Manager Charles Lwanga and Athletic Trainer Doug Cassell.