LIVONIA, Mich.- The Madonna University men's soccer team started the 2019 postseason at home in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference quarterfinal facing off against Concordia University - Ann Arbor. The match was well played on both sides as the score reflected, but the Crusaders were dominate enough on both offense and defense to advance onto the next round of the tournament with a 1-0 win.
The Crusaders have now improved to 12-3-3 overall, while the Cardinals season ends with a record of 7-13.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first half was mainly Crusaders but both teams played back and forth as Madonna was able to gain an 8-1 lead in shots through the first half. The lone Cardinal shot on the afternoon came off the foot of Anthony Tucker, who led the WHAC in goals, and was promptly saved by goalie Joe Smith. 
• The Crusaders came out shooting in the second half as they rattled off two shots within the first four minutes.
• In the 52nd minute, the Cardinals committed a foul in the box which put Leonardo Gois Abonizio to take the penalty kick which he was able to put past the Cardinals goalie for the 1-0 lead.
• The blue and Gold held that lead all the way till the final buzzer despite the Cardinals offensive push.

INSIDE THE BOX

• The Blue and Gold are now 38-1-1 all-time against the Cardinals
• The Crusaders outshot the Cardinals 17-1 over the course of the game and 7-1 in shots on goal.
• The Blue and Gold tallied 11 corner kicks opposed to one for the Cardinals
• Eight Crusaders tallied a shot while Rodrigo Castro De Siqueira (four shots, one on goal), Abonizio (three shots, two on goal) and Breno Stapcinskas (three shots, one on goal) paced the Crusader offense throughout the afternoon
• Smith recorded his ninth shutout on the season which ties him for third-most in a single season.

UP NEXT

• The Crusaders will travel for the WHAC Semi-final match to University of Northwestern Ohio on Wednesday, Nov. 13 with a 2 PM kickoff.
• Live coverage if available will be posted to mucrusaders.com

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