SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Chalk up another first for Summit League men's soccer. With Kansas City's 2-0 win at Saint Louis Thursday, there will be two Summit League teams playing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
Denver, who earned the No. 3 national seed, had a first-round bye and will play Gardner-Webb, who upset Oregon State 1-0 in opening-round play. The Bulldogs won the Big South Tournament title and will travel to the Mile High City Sunday for a 1 p.m. MT kickoff on ESPN+.
The Roos stay in the Show Me State, this time traveling to Springfield for a match against Missouri State, who had a first-round bye after earning the No. 15 national seed. This tilt is a rematch of a regular season affair that Kansas City won 3-2 on Sept. 2. The Roos and Bears will kickoff Sunday at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN+.
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Thursday, Nov. 21
Kansas City 2, Saint Louis 0
Sunday, Nov. 24 | TV/Stream | Time
Gardner Webb at No. 3 Denver* | ESPN+ | 1 p.m. MT
Kansas City at No. 15 Missouri State* | ESPN+ | 6:30 p.m. CT
*National Seed
2024 SUMMIT LEAGUE MEN'S SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, Nov. 16
No. 2 Kansas City 2, No. 1 (4/2) Denver 1
National Rankings (United Soccer Coaches/Top Drawer)
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
Team | All-Time Tournament Record | Furthest Run
(3) Denver | 7-11-1 | College Cup (2016)
• No. 3 national seed is highest in program history and highest by a Summit League team in any sport
• The Pioneers have won an NCAA Tournament game in each of the past three seasons and will play in the second round for the fourth consecutive year
• This marks the third time the Pioneers have earned a national seed - 2016 (No. 6; lost in College Cup) and 2018 (No. 15; lost in second round)
• This will be DU’s 10th appearance in the event as a Summit League member and the program’s six wins exceed the total of five wins won by current and former members in the event
Kansas City | 2-3 | Second Round (2001, 2024)
• Making fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament (all as a Summit League member) and first since the 2003 season
• Picked up second victory in NCAA postseason play and first since 2001 with a 2-0 victory at Saint Louis
• Match with Saint Louis was a rematch of a 2001 NCAA Tournament second round contest the Billikens won 2-1
• For KC, it was the first time the Roos defeated SLU in 12 tries
AROUND THE LEAGUE
• With Denver and Kansas City both in the 48-team field, this marks the first time the Summit League has qualified multiple teams for the NCAA Tournament in back-to-back years -- the Pioneers and Omaha both played in 2023.
• With the Roos’ 2-0 first round win over Saint Louis, the Summit League now has two teams playing in the second round for the first time in conference history and has won a first-round game in five consecutive seasons.
• Guille Munoz scored the game-winner for the Roos in the 67th minute off a corner kick from Julien Le Bourdoulous. Munoz’ goal was the first of his career.
• Le Bourdoulous now has a three-game assist and team-high nine on the season. He had an assist in the regular-season finale in a 2-1 win over Oral Roberts and tallied both assists off corner kicks in the Roos’ 2-1 triumph over DU in the Summit Men’s Soccer Tournament final.
• The Pioneers’ loss marked the first time they fell in a title game on their home field (now 6-1-0) and first time they lost in regulation as the top seed (9-1-3).
• Jeremy Francou scored the insurance goal in the 83rd minute off an assist from Elie Kisoka, who pushed his Summit League-leading point total to 31 (12 goals; seven assists).
• KC’s victory set a new single-season program record for wins at 13. It was also the Roos’ eighth road win of 2024, which is the most by a DI squad.
• The second of those eight road wins came at Missouri State on Sept. 2 when the Roos defeated the Bears 3-2. Those two will square off again in Springfield in second round action.
• With the No. 2 RPI in the country, Denver secured the No. 3 national seed and a first-round bye in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Pioneers will face Gardner-Webb in the second round after the Bulldogs upset Oregon State 1-0.
• The Pioneers clinched the program’s 10th regular season title with a 1-0 win at Oral Roberts on Nov. 2 and finished off the Summit campaign with a 2-1 victory at Omaha on Nov. 9 to finish 7-1-0 (21 points).
• The Roos won their fourth Summit League Championship title and first since 2008 with the victory over top-seeded Denver on Nov. 16.
• Kisoka, who was named the Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Year, delivered the game-winning goal for the Roos with 13 seconds remaining in regulation.
• Kisoka’s game-winning goal was his sixth of the season, tying him for the national lead in that category with Akron’s Emil Jaaskelainen. It also moved him into a tie for second on the Summit League’s single-season list.
• With two goals against the Billikens, the Roos now have 52 on the season, adding to the program record for total goals in a season, which was 43 (2000).
• KC’s 52 goals rank third among Division I squads this season and are tied for the eighth most by a Summit team in a single season in league history. Missouri State, who was a former Mid-Continent Conference member also had 52 during the 1989 season.)
• The Roos 54 assists are the fourth most by a Summit team in a single season. Le Bourdoulous, who earned Championship MVP honors, leads the team with nine and has six over the last five matches.
• The Roos dealt DU two of its three losses heading into the NCAA Tournament and moved into the Top Drawer Soccer national poll at No. 25 entering the NCAA postseason.
• Senior All-American Sam Bassett scored his eighth goal of the season to put DU ahead early in the championship final. Bassett is tied for fifth nationally with a Summit League-leading 10 assists. He also ranks second in the Summit with 26 points.
• With the tally, Bassett equaled fellow All-Summit League first team honoree Oje Ofunrein with the team lead in goals.
• DU rallied for a 2-1 victory over Long Island in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament, getting goals in the 80th and 83rd minutes to secure the win.
• The Pioneers were ranked No. 12 in the latest TDS poll and were No. 4 in the final regular season United Soccer Coaches Top 25.
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