SEATTLE, Wash. (December 1, 2022) - The No. 9 ranked Colorado State University Pueblo men's soccer team advanced to its first NCAA Title Match after defeating Barry University 1-0 in a thrilling NCAA Semi-Final match played at Interbay Soccer Stadium.

The ThunderWolves, playing in its biggest match in program history and earned the two-seed and matched up against the 3-seeded Buccaneers.

A soccer match is played out over 90 minutes and the Pack used every second of the clock to come away with the victory after getting awarded a free kick with less than a minute to play in regulation.

Caio Oliveira took the free kick from near midfield and served in a ball across the net and Shjon Andrews, as he has done before, climbed over the defense and got a header on the ball that deflected to the right and stayed in the air, allowing for Gabriel Campora to get a head on the ball and it landed inside the center of the net for the one goal lead and 29 seconds left showing on the clock. 

In the match, both teams battled chilly winds and temperatures in the 30s on the pitch throughout the game.

CSU Pueblo totaled eight shots and earned three corners, all of which came in the second period. Barry got off eleven shots and had two land on goal.

During the first half, both teams went back-and-forth and exchanged possession in the first half of the period. CSU Pueblo got its first look of the game with 31:18 left in the half on a header shot from Lamar Bynum.

Bynum would finish with a team-high three shots and one on goal.

In the 14th minute, the Buccaneers got their first look at the net and followed it up with another shot two minutes later. 

Barry fired its third shot of the period in the with about twenty minutes remaining in the half. On the play, Pack goalkeeper Nils Roth had to be removed from the contest as a result of a collision in front of the net.

Will Whitworth came on in relief of Roth and faced three shots and made two saves over the last minutes of the first half.

At intermission, CSU Pueblo trailed 4-1 in shots and did not earn a corner kick.

In the second half, CSU Pueblo came out of the gate with high energy and as a result, earned the first corner, less than five minutes into the period.

The ThunderWolves continued their intensity and were able to get back-to-back corner kicks two minutes apart and was unable to get a shot off.

With less than 31 minutes left in the half, Barry had a shot that was deflected and the rebound attempt went high and over the crossbar.

The ThunderWolves made a substitution after the try and brought fresh legs onto the pitch.

The Pack earned a free kick with about 26:30 showing on the clock and Bynum took the free kick that went wide and out of bounds.

With less than twenty minutes on the clock, CSU Pueblo's offense kept possession in Bucs territory and created numerous scoring chances that was defended well.

Under ten minutes was left when Bynum drove the ball down the far side and served in a ball that found Reggie Nicolas who attempted a header shot that was wide and left of the net, keeping the game scoreless.

The ThunderWolves continued their attack over the final eight minutes and kept the Bucs from any scoring chances.

CSU Pueblo (19-3-2) will look for its first ever NCAA Championship and will face a tall task in No. 1 and top-seeded Franklin Pierce on Saturday at noon at Interbay Stadium.

Franklin Pierce clinched its spot in the title match after defeating Lake Erie, 5-2 in the other semi-final match.