Last season, in the third year of its resurrection, the Bulldog men’s soccer program broke through to qualify for NAIA post-season play for the first time in school history, advancing to the Region IV semifinals.
Picked to finish second in the 2006 KCAC race by the conference’s coaches, the Bulldogs finished one spot short, posting a 7-2 KCAC record, good for another third place and earned a second straight berth in the NAIA post-season.
Finishing the regular season with a school record 11 wins, 11-5-1 overall, the Bulldogs suffered a disappointing loss in the quarterfinals of the KCAC post-season.
Advancing to the quarterfinals of the NAIA Region IV tournament, the Bulldogs played KCAC regular season and tournament champion Kansas Wesleyan through two overtimes and to penalty kicks before seeing their season end in a shoot-out.
Armando Rodriguez’ selection to the All-KCAC first team topped the Bulldogs’ year-end honors. Rodriguez, who set a new school single season record with 21 goals, was also named the KCAC Freshman of the Year.
Senior John White, who will graduate with the school career record for goals scored with 31, was joined on the All-KCAC second team by senior defenders Nathan McDaniel and Tyler Lawrence.
White, along with Armando, set and tied a school single game record of five goals in the Bulldogs’ 17-1 win over Bethany. The Bulldogs’ 17-goal out-burst against the Swedes also moved the Bulldogs’ into the NAIA’s all-time top 15 for goals in a single game.
While graduating six seniors, the Bulldogs should return a solid core of battle tested players ready to take the Dogs to a new level in 2007.
