Ospina confident on eve of Pioneers' second-round national championship match

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Sixteen teams have made their way to Delray Beach, Fla., for the NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship Final Site. All but three of them are ranked in the Coaches' Top 25 poll.

Of those three, two – Wayland Baptist and Cardinal Stritch – will face off in the opening match of the event at 10 a.m. CST Monday.

"We're glad to be here. The guys earned it," said WBU coach Cristhian Ospina. "We won the conference regular-season and tournament and went on the road to beat a ranked team (in the national tournament opening round). I want us to go out there (Monday) and just have fun on the field."

No. 23 Wayland (15-5-1) and Cardinal Stritch (16-3-2), ranked the equivalent of 29^th, will play the first of eight second-round matches set for Monday and Tuesday at the Seacrest Soccer Complex.

The NAIA Network will broadcast all 15 matches live. The video platform allows users access to live video, statistics, and social interaction on a number of devices, including mobile. Single day passes can be purchased for $9.95, while an all-championship tournament package is available at $29.95. For more information and to pre-register, click HERE.

Wayland and Cardinal Stritch, the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic regular-season and tournament champion, punched tickets to Florida after knocking off ranked teams in the opening round back on Nov. 18. The Pioneers toppled No. 18 MidAmerica Nazarene, Kan., 2-1, for their eighth straight win and program-record 15^th victory, while Stritch eliminated third-ranked Rio Grande, Ohio, 5-4, for its sixth win in a row and first 16-win season ever.

It's the first trip to the round of 16 for both teams. The Pioneers lost to MidAmerica Nazarene in the opening round in their only other national championship appearance last year. This is Stritch's third appearance at nationals, and first since 2013, with the Wolves owning an 0-1-1 record.

"Their team works really hard," Ospina said. "They have a couple of good guys up front, and they're really good at set pieces.  We have to match their intensity and play our game. If we stay doing what we've been doing the whole time and be aware of the set pieces, I think we should be OK."

Ospina said Stritch reminds him a bit of Sooner Athletic Conference opponents Southwestern Christian and John Brown.

"As far as their physicality they remind me of Southwestern Christian. They have big bodies and also are good at set pieces," the SAC Coach of the Year said. "As for their style of play and how they play with the ball on the ground and keep going forward, they're like John Brown."

Defense is a big reason for both teams' success. WBU has recorded 10 shutouts to rank eighth in the NAIA while Stritch has blanked 11 opponents to rank tied for fourth. Pioneer goalkeeper Ziggy Camejo is fourth in the NAIA in goals against per game (0.600) while the Wolves' keeper, Pablo Ortiz, is 21^st (0.880).

As for offense, Stritch is led by junior midfielder Liam Heywood of Newcastle, England, with 13 goals. Heywood recorded a hat trick in his team's opening-round win.

As a team, Wayland is 10^th in the NAIA in shots on goal per game (9.86), 11^th in shots per game (20.05), and 15^th in total goals (61).

Since arriving in Delray Beach Thursday, the Pioneers have been getting accustomed to the warm, humid Florida weather. They've taken it slowly, jogging the first day before conducting a practice.

"The third day they felt a little bit more normal. We went from playing in really cold, dry weather in Kansas to coming here with temperatures in the mid-80s and humidity. It's a big difference," said Ospina, who is from nearby Miami. He said the Pioneers' early start for Monday means the match will be played "right before it gets really hot."

Ospina has been able to visit with family and friends from the area, including former WBU teammate and Pioneer assistant coach Travis Rovillo, now an assistant at a junior college in Daytona.

Ospina said the Pioneers are as healthy as they've been in a while, with Cooper Gaypia (ankle) and Gavin Shiels (knee) closer to 100 percent.

"They're both feeling a lot better. We should be good to go," he said.

Ospina said the Pioneers, who attended a pre-tournament banquet Sunday evening, have nothing to lose in playing in their first national tournament.

"We should not be nervous at all. We just need to go out and play our game."

The Wayland-Stritch winner will play either fifth-seeded, fifth-ranked Baker, Kan. (16-4-2) or 12^th-seeded, 15^th-ranked Columbia, Mo. (18-2-2) in the quarterfinals at 11 a.m. Wednesday. If WBU wins, its semifinal will be at 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1 with the championship match at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2.

"We have a very good chance to make it all the way," Ospina said. "If they continue playing for each other and stay humble, I think they can make it really far."
 

• The 16-team field includes host team Keiser University (Fla.) and the 15 champions from the NAIA National Championship Opening Rounds played on November 18.
• 13 of the top 16 teams will be represented in Delray Beach.
• Oklahoma Wesleyan claims its first ever No. 1 seed entering postseason play. The Eagles look to claim the program's first ever national championship.
• Defending national champion Hastings (Neb.) looks to become the first back-to-back champion since Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) won three straight from 1999-2001.
• Three programs making the trip to Delray Beach have previously won a national championship. Lindsey Wilson leads the way with 9 total championships. Hastings has won two, and Mobile (Ala.) has one previous title.
• Columbia (Mo.) currently holds the longest active unbeaten streak of the remaining 16 teams. The Cougars have not lost in 19 games, with a 17-0-2 record in that time. Hastings and Oklahoma Wesleyan follow Columbia, as both programs have won 15 straight games.
• Three conferences will be represented by two programs in Delray Beach: Heart of America Athletic Conference, Southern States Athletic Conference and The Sun Conference.
• Lindsey Wilson, who will face off against Marymount (Calif.) on Nov. 28 at 4 p.m. EDT, holds the most active championship appearances with 24. Four other programs will be making their 10th-or-more appearance: Baker (Kan.) (10), Hastings (13), Mobile (18) and William Carey (Miss.) (11).
• The Blue Raiders of Lindsey Wilson are also responsible for the most wins in championship history with 51. Next is Mobile with 27 victories.
• Wayland Baptist has the fewest appearances, as this will mark the program's second trip to the national championship.
• Madonna (Mich.) is snapping the longest drought of the 16 remaining teams, with its last appearance coming in 2011.