William Penn Blanks Grace 2–0 in National Championship Second Round

Winona Lake, Ind.--William Penn men's soccer controlled the match from start to finish, earning a commanding 2–0 sweep over Grace in Saturday's NAIA Second Round contest.

Next, the unseeded Statesmen (12-5-4) will battle No. 2 Oklahoma Wesleyan December 2 at 10 a.m. for a spot in the national quarterfinals.

The Statesmen dictated the pace throughout the match, owning a 16–10 shot advantage over the No. 15 Lancers (13-7-3) and a 5–3 edge in shots on target. William Penn also played the cleaner match, conceding just nine fouls and zero corner kicks compared to Grace's 16 fouls and five corners.

Their pressure was evident early, leading the opening frame with a 4–1 shot margin despite the scoreless stalemate at the break.

The breakthrough arrived in the 55th minute. After a deflection inside the box, Matias Meijide (Grad., Brunete, Spain, Organizational Leadership) reacted quickly and slotted home the match's first goal.

William Penn kept their foot on the gas, searching for insurance. The second goal came from Jaime Rozalen (Jr., Valencia, Spain, Business Management), who capitalized on a pass from Ivan Abraira (Fr., Asturias, Spain, Undecided) to double the lead.

The Statesmen continued to drive forward, producing a 12–9 shot advantage in the second period. 

Rob Stoop (So., Bosch en Duin, Netherlands, Exercise Science) led the attack with three shots, while several teammates chipped in a pair.

On the defensive end, Ryan Walsh-Rowe (Sr., Wexford, Ireland, Business Management) was steady between the posts, turning away all three shots on frame to secure the clean sheet.

"Great team performance. The boys worked really hard with and without the ball — putting themselves about in a real shift," said Head Coach Joe Minton. "he said. "It was a bit of an emotional performance with showing videos of their parents, family, and all of the support. I think we've done everybody proud. Who wouldn't want to be on a beach in Alabama?

He continued, "We will have all eyes on Oklahoma Wesleyan — a very good team, unbeaten on the year — so we will see what we can do and try to upset some other people as well."

Up Next: William Penn heads to Orange Beach, Alabama, to meet No. 2 Oklahoma Wesleyan in the Round of 16 Monday, December 2, at 10 a.m. CST.