The Concordia Men's played even-up with Simon Fraser on Saturday in the NAIA Region I finals at Concordia, but two costly free kicks in the first half were the difference as the Cavaliers fell 2-0 to Simon Fraser. Andrew Corazza scored both goals for the Clan.

Conditions were wet and muddy as there were intermittent downpours on the pitch, which had also been torn up some by the women's game that took place immediately preceding. Both teams struggled with their footing throughout the match, and it wasn't until the 10th minute that either team threatened, but the visitors made good on their first chance. After a foul was called just outside the box, Simon Fraser's Andrew Corazza took the free kick, and hit a shot into the upper left corner while the Cavaliers were still setting up their wall. The goal was allowed, and the visitors had jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Five minutes later the Cavaliers had their first good scoring opportunity when Brian Iblings had a good look at goal from near the top of the box, and while his shot had good pace, it was right at Clan goalkeeper Raegyn Hall and was saved easily.

Justan Wolvert controls the ball just outside the box

In the 23rd minute, the home team had another good chance when a through ball into the path of Lucas Brooks had the Cavaliers striker behind the Simon Fraser defense, but the Clan goalkeeper was able to get to the ball just before Brooks to end the threat. The Cavaliers were conrolling the flow of play for much of this part of the match, and five minutes later a BJ Gamble header just missed the left post with a shot from 20 yards out. In the 39th minute, Simon Fraser had their first good look at goal in the run of play when a cross to the feet of Robbie Cairns had the midfielder looking at a mostly open net, but he couldn't keep the shot down at it went well over the Cavaliers net.

But in the 43rd minute, Simon Fraser made a good run down the left side, and after a Clan attacker went down just outside the box, a free kick was awarded, much to the dismay of the home crowd, who felt it the Clan attacker had taken a dive. And the free kick would prove costly as a Cairns free kick found the head of Corazza, who put the header just under the bar to give the visitors a 2-0 lead at the half.

The majority of the second half would be played around the muddy midfield, with both teams still struggling to maintain their footing, and the red and white uniforms turning brown with mud as the match went on. For the first 20 minutes of the second half, the home side were doing most of the attacking, putting several dangerous crosses into the box, mostly from the right side, but were unable to get any shots on net from their attack. Neither team had a shot on goal in the second half until Simon Fraser's Aaron Beattie put a header right at Cavaliers goalkeeper Dustin Cash in the 57th minute.

Tim Tubra marked by Simon Fraser's Joseph Marello

Concorida had their first good shot on goal in the second half when in the 61st minute a ball deflected to the feet of Tony Ballew, who moved to the top of the box and hit a hard, low shot that deflect off Clan defender Kevin Todd, but the shot was stopped by Hall who made a diving save to his left. Four minutes later, a through ball from Joe Boytebiere to Ballew's feet had the Cavalier forward threatening, but he couldn't catch up to the ball quickly enough, and Hall slid out to smother the ball just before Ballew could reach it.

Simon Fraser had their last shot of the match in the 83rd minute when Ryan Cleary hit a shot just wide right off a Clan corner kick. Then in the 87th minute, the Cavaliers had their last scoring chance of the night when Ballew put a header just wide right from 10 yards out off a corner kick. But the Cavaliers were never able to find the net, and the two first half goals held up as Simon Fraser advances to the NAIA Championship Tournament in Bowling Green, Kentucky with the win.

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