Mobile Downs Asbury To Advance To Nationals

MOBILE, Ala-- The University of Mobile men's soccer team defeated visiting Asbury College (Ky.) 2-1 Saturday to win the NAIA Unaffiliated Championship.

The Rams (9-10) receive the automatic bid to the 2009 NAIA National Tournament from the unaffiliated grouping. The Rams will play in the 2009 NAIA National Championship Opening Round Saturday, Nov. 21 with time, opponent and location to be determined. Mobile hosted and beat UT-Brownsville in last year's opening round.

Mobile dominated the stat sheet with a 23-5 edge in shots and an 11-3 edge in shots on target. The Rams set the tone for the game with 15 shots in the opening 45 minutes, while Mobile's stout defense limited the Eagles to one shot. Mobile put the pressure on with 10 shots through the first 30 minutes, and then finally found the back of the net on the 11th try.

Ruben Diaz put the Rams on the board in the 32nd minute when he worked his way to the middle of the field and cracked a left-footed shot from about 20-yards out, between the goal keeper and the near post for a 1-0 lead. In the 69th minute, Jack St. Hilaire scored on a diving header off a cross from Onesimus Ikungo.

Asbury scored on a goal from Jacob Cox in the 81st minute when he beat the Mobile defense and knocked the ball inside the far post. Aside from that one breakdown, the Rams' defense was brilliant in limiting the Eagles to 5 shots. Jason Williams collected 1 save, while Robbie Ford added another for the defense, knocking away a Phillip Mullins shot after Williams had vacated the goal to challenge the ball before the shot.