IRVINE, Calif.- It was a season for the record books for the Madonna University men's soccer team, but it ultimately ended in heartbreak for the unseeded Cinderella program in a 2-1 loss to third-seeded Central Methodist at OC Great Soccer Park on Friday night.

The Crusaders finish the season 19-5, the second-most wins in program history behind the 20-3 team in 1998. The Blue and Gold earned back-to-back Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference regular season championships and won a game at the NAIA National Championship Final Site for the first time in the program's 25 years.

As for the game, it wasn't the start the Crusaders had hoped for as the Eagles scored 38 seconds into the contest. Adrian Gutierrez intercepted a poor MU pass and played Rodrigo Paredes down the right sideline where Paredes struck a ball to the far side of the 18 yard box and found Andrea De Simone who had a nice one-time finish from 14-yards out to open the scoring.

Madonna responded with renewed vigor and an unmatched intensity which quickly paid off. With the ball in the CMU defense third, Yuri Farkas Guglielmi intercepted a clear attempt at the upper left corner of the 18-yard box and had a one-touch boot off his right foot that he shaped just inside the far post for the equalizer six minutes later.

After the halftime break, the Eagles dominated most of the possession and had several opportunities to score throughout the final 45, but the Madonna defense, with a little help from a post and a cross bar, held strong. It looked as though the defense would force an overtime, that is until a free kick was headed toward the end line and Marcos German was able to get a touch with his right foot and sneak it past a pair of defenders and MU keeper Joe Smith, just inside the near post, for a 2-1 advantage with just under six minutes to play.

Once again down a goal, the Crusaders' attack gave it everything it had as MU tallied three shots and a corner kick in the final minutes of the contest, but the Eagles defense was up to the task in the semifinal loss.

The Fayette, Missouri program outshot Madonna 16-8 in the contest which included a 7-2 edge in shots on frame. The Eagles had five corner kicks to the Crusaders' two while MU was called for 26 of the games' 47 fouls.

Farkas paced the MU attack with two shots, one on frame, while Costa Wells added a shot on goal. Leonardo Abonizio, Wagner Gameiro Febbe, Ludvick Asigo, Issei Ito and Carlos Martinez each added one shot each.

Smith, who played stellar in goal throughout the playoff run and helped lead the defense to just two goals allowed over the past four games, made five saves in the contest.

After the game, the Crusaders were presented with semi finalist awards and a trophy. The team concluded the night, in Madonna tradition, with the seniors walking off the field one last time. You can watch the award ceremony, the senior send-off as well as interviews with Farkas and Head Coach Mark Zathey below.





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