Dubuque Clinches 2021 Men’s Soccer Championship

10/20/2021 9:08:55 PM

DUBUQUE, Iowa – For the second time inside of one calendar year, the University of Dubuque men's soccer team can call itself conference champions. The Spartan’s picked up a 2-0 win over Luther tonight, moving head coach Brad Johnson's squad to 7-0-0 and securing at least a share of the conference championship.

This year’s title marks the third conference championship all-time for the Spartan program, with the last coming April 25, 2021, during the 2020 altered fall-to-spring season. The program’s first title came in 2010 when they shared with Loras and Wartburg.
 
Tonight’s victory earned Dubuque the top seed and a bye in the six-team conference tournament that starts Saturday, October 30. The team's first tournament game will be a semifinal match Wednesday, November 3 against an opponent to be determined. The Spartans close out regular season conference play Saturday, October 23 at Central.
 
Pending the outcome of tonight’s Loras at Wartburg match, UD could end the night as outright conference champions. The Knights are currently 4-1-0 and the only league team that has a mathematical chance of earning a share of the conference title. Those title hopes are kept alive if Wartburg picks up a win over Loras. A loss or draw to the Duhawks will leave the Spartans atop the conference standings as outright champions.

Dubuque jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 38:06 into the match on a goal from Joel Skog-Johansson. The lead was doubled in the 84th minute on Johansson’s second tally of the match, assisted by Eloi Niyibizi.
 
The Spartan offense was clicking on all cylinders tonight, firing 22 shots while placing 13 on goal. The UD back line held the Norse to five shots, with just two landing on goal. The Dubuque offense also held the corner kick advantage, 5-to-0.
 
Christoffer Rastock played all 90 minutes in goal for the Spartans, recording one save on the night. Johansson paced the UD offense with five shots, two on goal, and converting on two goals. In addition to his one assist, Niyibizi added four shots on goal. Also contributing to UD’s 13 shots on goal were Glorie Luwara (3), Gavin Wooldridge (2), Lucas Von Braun (1), and Draek Littler (1).

Matches on Saturday, October 23 and Tuesday, October 26 will determine the seeds for the conference tournament. There are two first-round games Saturday, October 30, followed by the semis Wednesday, November 3. The championship match is set for two weeks from this Saturday (11/6). The tournament winner gets the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship.
 
 
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