Box Score By Ron Smith
November 19, 2023
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Men's Soccer (8-7-2) has been named the number two seed in the upcoming National Christian College Athletic Association, which will begin on Monday, November 27 in Kissimmee, Florida.
 
The nine-team tournament begins with three days of pool play with three teams in each of three pools. The Warriors have been designated as the top seed in Pool B. The two other teams in the Warriors' grouping are fifth-seeded Wayland Baptist (9-6-2) from Texas and eighth-seeded Asbury (11-3-4) of Kentucky.
 
The Warriors earned the automatic berth into the national championship as a result of a 4-0 victory over Justice (Ariz.) last Saturday at Thorrington Field. The Warriors' Landon Amaral, Cash Andreholt, Leonel Olivio Ortiz and Michael Stull all scored in the first half to secure the win for the Warriors.
 
Westmont will take on Asbury to start national tournament play on November 27. Despite losing to top-seated Campbellsville (Ky.) by a score of 2-0 in the finals of the NCCAA Mideast Region, the Eagles received an at-large berth into the championship field. Asbury, a former NAIA institution, is a provisional member of NCAA Division III that will begin competing in the Collegiate Conference of the South next year.
 
In 17 games, Asbury has outscored its opponents 38-16, led by junior forward Austin Dunlap of Florida who has tallied seven goals and added two assists. Freshman midfielder Jason Flaming, also of Florida, has added six goals while sophomore forward Luke Thomas of Ohio has notched five.
 
Freshman goalkeeper Peyton French from Florida has recorded a goals-against average of 0.73, having allowed 10 goals in 14 games while producing six saves.
 
The Warriors and Eagles have not met previously.
 
Wayland Baptist is a member of the NAIA and the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Pioneers finished tied for fifth in the Sooner Athletic Conference with a mark of 4-4-1 in SAC play. Wayland Baptist earned the automatic berth from the Central Region after out-dueling Central Christian College (Kan.) in penalty kicks 3-2 in the regional championship.
 
The Pioneers have outscored their opponents 27-21. Central midfielder Daniel Ruiz of Spain led Wayland Baptist with seven goals and four assists. Senior forward Harry Garbutt of England and sophomore forward Jamol Williams of Barbados have added another six goals each.
 
The Pioneers have used four different goalkeepers who have produced a cumulative goals-against average of 1.28. Junior Louis Pryce of England, who has played in the most games (eight), has a goals-against average of 1.20.
 
Like Asbury, Wayland Baptist has never played against Westmont.
 
Both of Westmont's pool play games are scheduled for a 3:30 EST kick-off (12:30 p.m. PST) and will be available to watch on pay-per-view at https://www.nccaanetwork.com.