NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For the third straight season, Lipscomb is headed to the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament.
The Bisons secured their spot by clinching an unprecedented three-peat as Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) champions, with a 1-0 win over Bellarmine last Saturday.
The Bisons rolled through the conference tournament with shutout wins over no. 5 Central Arkansas and no. 2 Bellarmine as they captured the title for the fifth time since 2017.
“Obviously, we came into this week expecting big things to happen and we came out and accomplished part of it,” said sophomore midfielder Malachi Jones. “And now the next part is the NCAA Tournament.”
Lipscomb will now face Big Ten champion and perennial soccer power Indiana in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday at 5 p.m.
ASUN Player of the Year, Tyrese Spicer, headlined an explosive Bisons attack. He scored 13 goals this season for the Bisons, who have lost just once since Sep. 8.
“I think we can definitely come up with a victory,” Spicer said. “I know Indiana is a big team, but we like to rise up to big expectations.”
Lipscomb also enters the tournament with redemption on their minds. A year ago, the Bisons won 14 games and earned a national seed in the NCAA Tournament, giving them a bye into the round of 32.
But they were upset 1-0 by Western Michigan in a heartbreaking end to one of the best seasons in school history. The opportunity to wipe that bitter taste from their mouths has been motivation for the Bisons all season long.
“Last year, for as good of a season as it was to be a top 10 national seed, to go out in the second round of the tournament after the first round bye was a disappointment,” said head coach Charles Marrow. “I think this group has really wanted to get back to that point and win some games in the tournament.”
