KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Opening Round Schedule | Final Site Bracket | Experience NAIA Championships App] The 2020 NAIA Men’s Soccer National Championship Opening Round concluded on Saturday as the 10-team field was set for final site play in Columbia County, Ga.

Today’s matches were full of excitement. Two matches of the day went into double overtime. The first was Mid-America Christian (Okla.) who defeated Bethel (Tenn.), 3-2. The second match to go into extra time later in the day was Bellevue (Neb.) who defeated MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), 2-1. 

In addition to matches going into extra time, the match against Keiser (Fla.) and Mobile (Ala.) went scoreless until the 89^th minute. The last-second shot secured advancement out of the West Palm Beach Bracket. 

Central Methodist (Mo.) will see the Final Site once again to defend its 2018 and 2019 championship titles in hopes of adding a third to its winning streak. Meanwhile, the University of the Cumberlands will see its first appearance at the Final Site after accomplishing its first postseason win on Thursday.

This year’s opening round field includes 27 automatic qualifiers and 13 at-large. Automatic berths were given to teams that either won their respective conference tournament title, regular-season championship, finished runner-up at the conference tournament or were awarded the conference automatic berth in the absence of a conference tournament. The at-large bids were determined by the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Selection Committee. This committee consists of one representative from each geographical area, a representative from the National Administrative Council, the president of the NAIA-Men’s Soccer Coaches Association, and three at-large members. The committee evaluated teams throughout the year on various criteria.

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Qualifier Highlights

• The qualifier out of the Bartlesville Bracket to the final site was Oklahoma Wesleyan who def. Briar Cliff (Iowa), 4-0.
• 2019 National Player of the Year, Stefan Lukic, recorded one goal late in the 67^th minute, but four assists. 
• This is the 10^th time Oklahoma Wesleyan has appeared in the Opening Rounds and sixth time appearing at the Final Site.
• Columbia (Mo.) def. Northwestern Ohio, 1-0, to advance from the Columbia Bracket. The lone goal was scored by Carson Lindsey and assisted by Erik Rajoy in the 36^th minute.
• Columbia (Mo.) made a run for the championship game in 2019 before falling to Hastings (Neb.) in the semifinals. 
• The Fort Wayne Bracket was determined by the University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) who def. Indiana Tech, 2-0. One goal was scored per half with six saves being recorded by Akililu Zambataro.
• Cumberlands (Ky.) recorded its first-ever postseason win against Bethel (Ind.) in the first game of OR on Thursday. This will be its first advancement to the Final Site.
• The Hattiesburg Bracket was determined by Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) with a 1-0 def. over William Carey (Miss.). The lone goal was scored by David Ibramkadic and assisted by Neville Morgan in the 54^thminute.
• Lindsey Wilson holds a 55-16-6 record of All-Time Participation, with nine championship wins and five third-place finishes. The last championship win occurred in 2011.
• St. Thomas (Fla.) came out on top in the Lawrenceville Bracket def. Milligan (Tenn.), 2-1. Both St. Thomas (Fla.) goals occurred in the second half with one goal and one assist recorded by Fernando Arenzo.
• St. Thomas (Fla.) has appeared four times in Opening Round competition but has only advanced to the Final Site once in 2017. 
• Missouri Valley def. the 2019 Runner-up Hastings (Neb.), 4-0. Missouri Valley scored all of its four goals in the first half, with two back-to-back in the 16^th and 18^th minutes.
• Missouri Valley has competed at the Final Site six times, with two championship game appearances (2017,2018).
• The McKenzie Bracket was determined by Mid-America Christian (Okla.) who def. Bethel (Tenn.), 3-2 in double OT. The winning shot was scored by Mandela Singh-Sharpe and assisted by Carlos Castrejon early in the 108^thminute.
• This is the second time Mid-America Christian (Okla.) has advanced in the Opening Rounds and to the Final Site the previous being in 2018. 
• Bellevue (Neb.) def. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), 2-1 in double OT which determines the Final Site advancement out of the Olathe Bracket. The winning goal was scored by Alvaro Capra, assisted by Toby Millward, in the 107^thminute.
• Bellevue (Neb.) has not seen postseason play since 2018.
• The Santa Barbara Bracket was determined by Central Methodist (Mo.) who def. Corban (Ore.), 3-1. 
• Central Methodist (Mo.) has won the Red Banner the last two years- def. Missouri Valley 4-3 in 2018 and def. Hastings (Neb.) 3-1 in 2019.
• Keiser (Fla.) def. Mobile (Ala.), 1-0 to win the West Palm Bracket. The lone goal was scored in the second half by Ciro Damine and assisted by Adrian Camacho Castro in the 89^th minute.
• Keiser has appeared in the tournament six times seeing the final site three.