Statesmen Topple #20 Briar Cliff
Sioux City William Penn men’s soccer took a great stride forward in their quest to reach the NAIA National Tournament Saturday afternoon. Blanking #20 Briar Cliff 3-0 on the road, the Statesmen improve to 11-7 overall and look to be in great form heading into the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament.
William Penn had been receiving votes in the coaches’ poll before the spring portion to the season started, but have not been included since. On the outside looking in, the navy and gold entered Saturday’s match on a two-game winning streak, as they took down fellow Great Plains Athletic Conference foe Northwestern at home and Hannibal-LaGrange midweek on the road. Briar Cliff had ended their winter season with a win against Hastings and a draw against Morningside, two teams ranked in the latest national poll. Both sides wanted the win to show they belong in the big dance later in April.
Deviska Scores Three More as Statesmen Sweep Aside Trojans
Hannibal, Mo. Looking for more games, William Penn men’s soccer was able to add a match against Hannibal-LaGrange on Tuesday. The Trojans played spoiler last year in the match between the two schools, but the Statesmen were more clinical and thorough in 2021. The team fed leading scorer Kenedy Deviska (Jr., Pignon, Haiti, Wellness & Recreation), who put three goals away. Along with a penalty kick goal for each side, William Penn once more put its stamp on a good win with a final score of 4-1. The team is now 10-7 overall with one last game remaining before the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament.