The Barclay College Bears Soccer team will be heading to Kissimmee, FL for the National Christian College Division II National Championships beginning November 12th after winning the Southwest Region Championship 2-1 over Dallas Christian College (Dallas, TX) on Saturday afternoon. The Bears automatic bid to the NCCAA DII Nationals is their first since 2000.

Halloween night welcomed in the four Southwest Region teams; Barclay College, Dallas Christian College, Ozark Christian College (Joplin, MO), and Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College (Moore, OK). Following #2 Dallas Christian’s dramatic overtime golden goal win over #3 Ozark Christian, the #1 Bears took the field on a frigid night to take on #4 Hillsdale in the second semi-final. No trickery was needed by the Bears as they beat Hillsdale for the third time this season, 4-0, to set up the finale with Dallas Christian on Saturday afternoon.

With 30 mile per hour winds howling through the campus of Barclay College, the Bears confidentially and relentlessly attacked the Crusader defense until it cracked. In the 35th minute of the game, Freshman Josh Herndandez (Houston, TX) lined up a free kick from near midfield. He lofted a high ball into the air and the wind did the rest of the work as the Dallas goalie was unable to keep the ball out of the net. The Bears 1-0 lead didn’t last long however. Four minutes later Dallas used their blazing speed up front to counter attack the Bears and work in a tying goal. The score would remain tied until Freshman Julio Cobo (Kay, TX) was taken down inside the box in the 64th minute. Fellow Freshman Josh Moore (Houston, TX) was chosen to take the penalty kick and he easily delivered what would be the game winning goal, as the Bears held on for the victory.

The win improved the Bears to a stellar 15-1 on the season and earned them the #2 seed in the NCCAA National Tournament. They will take on Trinity Baptist College (Jacksonville, FL) Wednesday, November 12th at 2:30 PM ET.