Box Score Delray Beach, Fla. – The Columbia College men's soccer team made history this evening by being the first ever Cougar soccer squad to advance to the elite eight in the NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship. No. 14 seeded Columbia defeated No.3 seed Baker University (Kan.) by a score of 2-0 in the second round of the 2015 National Championship Tournament at Hiltopper Stadium to advance. The victory improves Columbia's record to 19-3. The loss ends Baker's season at 18-4-1. The Cougars fell one game short of advancing to the elite eight in both 2009 and 2012.

In the 17^th minute of play, Zachary Felz put the Cougars on the board as he created space and lifted the ball just over Wildcat keeper Ryan Emme's gloves to find the net. The half was partially dominated by the Cougars, but the Wildcats tested the Columbia defense towards the end, as they posted four shots while holding the Cougars to zero in the last 20 minutes.

The score would remain 1-0 headed into the halftime break with Baker holding a slight edge in shots with seven while Columbia tallied six, putting three on the net. Felz had three shots in the half and Iain McTurk saved the lone shot-on-goal by the Wildcats.

The Cougars wasted little time adding a second goal as Felz made a perfect cross to Luiz Guilherme Stein who then pushed the ball past Emme just over a minute into the second half. Two goals would prove to be enough as Baker couldn't get anything past the stingy Cougar defense allowing Columbia to pick up their 12^th shutout of the season. 

Baker outshot Columbia 11-9 for the game with Felz leading all players with three shots and two shots-on-goal. Mitchell Conning and Guilherme Stein had two shots and one shot-on-goal apiece. McTurk (13-1) and Columbia's back line played a key role in tonight shutout victory, holding the Wildcats to just three shots-on-goal.

Emme, who has only allowed six goals all season and ranks No. 1 in the nation with a goals against per game average of 0.5, had two saves.

The Cougars will take on the winner of tonight's game between AMC member Lindenwood University-Belleville and Bellevue (Neb.) on Wednesday, December 2^nd for the quarterfinal round. Game time is slated for 5:30 p.m. CST and can be watched live on the NAIA Network. Click here and sign up to watch.