Fresno Pacific plays at 7 p.m. Monday
FRESNO, CA -- Lindsey Wilson of Kentucky is the No. 1 seed for the 2009 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship that begins Monday (Nov. 30) at Fresno Pacific's Ramirez Field.
Host Fresno Pacific (8-7-2) will play at 7 pm Monday against No. 4 seeded Embry-Riddle of Florida (13-3-4).
The Sunbirds are among three teams from the Golden State Athletic Conference in the 16-team field. The Master's (17-2-2) is seeded 15th and will face Indiana Tech (12-6-3) at 2 pm Monday. Biola (13-4-3) will face Hastings of Nebraska (16-4-2) at 4:30 pm Tuesday. Biola upset No. 6 seed Texas-Brownsville in the opening round.
No. 1 seed Lindsey Wilson (16-2-1) opens play at 11:30 am Monday against No. 16 Bellevue, Neb (14-3-1). Maine-Fort Kent, seeded No. 2, was upset in the first round by Indiana Tech. Rio Grande of Ohio (16-3-2) is seeded No. 3. (First-round games in the field of 32 were played at the site of the higher-seeded team.)
Fresno Pacific is hosting the national soccer tournament for the second straight year. It is the only California university to have hosted the event.
The schedule:
Monday -- 11:30 am, No.1 Lindsey Wilson vs. No. 16 Bellevue, Neb; 2 pm, No. 15 The Master's vs. Indiana Tech; 4:30 pm, No. 3 Rio Grande, Ohio vs. No. 14 Columbia, Mo; 7 pm, No. 4 Embry-Riddle vs. Fresno Pacific.
Tuesday -- 11:30 am, No. 5 Simon Fraser, B.C. vs. No. 12 Bethel, Tenn; 2 pm, No. 7 Notre Dame, Ohio vs. No. 10 Benedictine, Kan; 4:30 pm, Biola vs. Hastings, Neb; 7 pm, Martin Methodist, Tenn. vs. No. 8 Southern Poly State, Ga.
Wednesday -- Quarterfinals at 11:30 am, 2 pm, 4:30 pm, 7 pm
Thursday -- No games scheduled
Friday -- Semifinals at 2 pm and 4:30 pm
Saturday -- Championship game at 3 pm
Click here for complete tournament bracket.
Ticket prices for the 2009 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship range from $10 for one day to $40 for an all-tournament pass. Tickets will cost $10 for the semifinals and $12 for the final. Student tickets are half price, and children ages 7 and under will get in free. There is also a $30 group price for youth soccer teams. Tickets are available online or at the gate.
For more information on the tournament, call (559) 453-2009 or email
michelle.boling@fresno.edu.