Louisiana Christian University Athletics

 
TEXARKANA, Texas – The Louisiana Christian University men's soccer program is the 2023 Red River Athletic Conference Tournament Champions, winning the team's first championship of any kind since first fielding a team in 1999 with a 1-0 shutout of the top seed from LSU Shreveport.
 
Adrian Amoros Navarro planted a seed into the back of the net in the 35th minute, past one of the best goalkeepers in the league, off a beautiful ball from Fabian Perez while Rodrigo Silva completed his ninth complete game clean sheet of the season and the club's 11th overall.
 
What makes this victory even sweeter to those in Orange and Blue is the fact that the Wildcats had never defeated the Pilots in six tries coming into the evening, going 0-5-1 all-time in the series before finally breaking through in the biggest possible moment.
 
Head Coach David Castillo had this to say after the victory:
 
"It's been a lot of hard work and perseverance to get our program to this point. My players trusted in the process and have persevered. To win the conference tournament is an answered prayer we've waited for. Although I'm content about winning the conference tournament, our work is not finished! I am fortunate to share this moment with such a great group of guys!!
 
The Cats tested themselves against the best-of-the-best in non-conference action which ultimately paid dividends down the stretch when the pressure started to mount. Head Coach David Castillo scheduled the first four matches of 2023 against #8 Georgia Gwinnett, #4 Dalton State, #24 Bethel (Tennessee), and (RV) Williams Baptist, setting the stage for the gauntlet that awaited them in the RRAC Tournament.
 
LCU got into an unexpected cage match with an up-to-the-challenge seventh seed in the quarterfinals as Texas A&M-San Antonio took the Wildcats to overtime on their own turf before ultimately prevailing with three goals in extra time.
 
The next challenge was the newcomers to the collegiate soccer world, the #3 Xavier (Louisiana) Gold Rush, who in their first season as a program was in the regular season title hunt all the way into the final match of the year, but the Cats turned them away with a two-nil triumph in the semifinals, which clinched their first NAIA Tournament appearance.
 
And finally, Saturday night the men from Pineville finally got the proverbial monkey off their backs by finally toppling the perennial powerhouse of LSUS.
 
"We couldn't be more proud of Coach Castillo and the LCU Wildcat Men's Soccer program. Winning championships and having the opportunity to play for national championships was one of the compelling reasons we moved to the NAIA," said Dr. Rick Brewer, Louisiana Christian University President. "Apparently, this strategic move is bearing fruit for every athletic program at LCU."
 
Louisiana Christian had a quartet of superstars lead the charge in conference scoring leader Sergio Pita Martin (All-RRAC 1st Team), one of the top assisters in the nation and the game-winner in the Championship in Amoros Navarro (All-RRAC 1st Team), a shutout machine in the net with Rodrigo Silva, and a stone-cold assassin off the wing in Shakeem Walters (All-RRAC 2nd Team).
 
Outside of the aforementioned spotlight stealers, the lineup was still littered with high-end talent as Lucas Lima was a First Teamer, Pablo Negro, Taylor Walker, and Joao Pedro Giraldez Franco all got Honorable Mention nods, and both Perez as well as Tarik Abdala made huge impacts as freshman contributors.
 
The squad will find out their seeding, who they will play, and when during the NAIA Men's Soccer Selection Show on Monday afternoon at 1 p.m., which fans can watch live on the NAIA's YouTube channel, here.
 
Follow the men's soccer program on Facebook (@LCUMSOC), Twitter/X (@LCU_MSOC) and Instagram (@LCU.MSOC).
 
Follow the Wildcats on Facebook (@LCUAthletics), Twitter/X (@LCU_Wildcats) and Instagram (@LCU_Wildcats).