GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Indiana Tech men's soccer team won the WHAC record fifth straight WHAC Tournament title on Saturday evening, defeating top seeded Aquinas College 2-1 in a thriller.
No team has ever won more than three straight WHAC Tournament Championships. However, today, Indiana Tech won their fifth in a row, dating back to 2019 when the Warriors won their first. The Warriors would finish the regular season in second after falling to Aquinas in the regular season finale at home just two weeks ago. Tech would defeat Cornerstone and Madonna in the WHAC quarter and semifinals games to earn themselves a rematch with the Saints in the championship match. On a mission to avenge the loss of the regular season title, the Warriors would come out strong, scoring in the first ten minutes of the WHAC championship game.
Lucca Motta would put the Warriors in front on a pass from
Douglas Appiah Kubi and the Warriors would never look back. Tech would head into the locker room up 1-0 with 45 minutes separating them from a fifth straight WHAC Tournament title. 20 minutes into the second half freshman
Andreas Michael would score a crucial second goal after a brilliant pass to the top of the 18-yard box from
Warren Moss. A 2-0 lead with 25 minutes, the Warriors looked in control and ready to take the trophy back to Fort Wayne, but just five minutes later, Aquinas would earn themselves a penalty kick. After Tech goalkeeper,
David Martinez, initially saved the shot, Aquinas would be gifted a second chance as the referees determined that Martinez had stepped off his line too soon. The Saints would make no mistake on the second attempt and bring the score back to a one goal game. However, the Warriors would fight through until the end, fending off the Saints bombarding last minute attacks. Tech would hang on to preserve their 2-1 lead and claim the 2023 WHAC Tournament Championship. Martinez would finish the game with three saves.
After winning the conference tournament, Indiana Tech has earned an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship Tournament which beings on Thursday, November 16
th. The national selection show takes place on Monday, November 13
th, where the Warriors will find out where they will be headed next.
- TECH -
