FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The No. 17-ranked Indiana Tech men's soccer team advanced to the championship match of the 2019 NAIA National Championship Opening Round – Fort Wayne Bracket Friday afternoon as they defeated Vanguard University, 2-0, at Warrior Athletic Field in the first-ever home NAIA playoff game contested at Tech and the first match for the Warriors since 2009.
 
Tech (17-4-0) will now take on the number seed in the Fort Wayne Bracket, the No. 3-ranked University of Mobile Rams on Saturday, November 23 for the right to go to the NAIA National Championship final site in Irvine, California. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET from Warrior Athletic Field.
 
Angel de Jorge scored the game-winning goal for the Warriors in the 59^th minute as he headed in a free kick from Pep Casas past Lions keeper Victor Negrete. The Orange and Black doubled their lead in the 80^th minute as Ryan Steele found Jaxon Simerman in the box and the Fort Wayne, Indiana native headed in the insurance goal. It was Angel de Jorge's second goal of the season and the fourth for Simerman.
 
The Warrior defense shut down Vanguard's offense from the opening kick, allowing just two shots on frame out of 16 total attempts. Edwin Rosado picked up his fourth clean sheet of the season with a two-save effort while Negrete had seven saves in the loss.
 
Tech is now just one win behind the 1981 and 1983 teams for the most victories in program history. Saturday's match will just be the second time in program history that the Warriors have hosted an NAIA National Championship game on home soil.