Columbia, Mo. - After earning a first-round bye as the No. 4 seed in this year's 2023 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship, the Central Methodist Women's Soccer team will square off against UC-Merced (Calif.) in the Second Round. 

The Bobcats earned an automatic berth into the tournament after their 2-1 win against No. 14 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the California Pacific Conference Tournament Championship game last week. The win gave UC Merced their first tournament title and their first ticket to the dance.

UC Merced then secured a spot in the Second Round after earning a First Round win over Midland, 1-0, Thursday afternoon at Battle High School in Columbia. The Bobcats now sport an overall record of 16-2 heading into Saturday's game. 

Central Methodist enters the tournament as the No. 4 overall seed after securing their fifth-straight Heart Regular Season Championship. CMU boasts an overall record of 17-2-1 and has been averaging nearly 3.5 goals and 17.6 shots/game.

The Eagles have been ranked as high as No. 4 in the NAIA National Coaches' Top 25 Poll, and have held that spot since Oct. 11. In addition, Central has remained in the Top 10 for the entirity of the 2023 of the season. 

The match is slated to take place Saturday, Nov. 18 at 3:00 p.m. at Battle High School in Columbia, Mo. The winner will advance to the Final Site in Foley, Alabama. 

Fans may purchase tickets online or pay with cash/card at the gate. General admission is $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for students. NAIA passes will be an accepted form of admission when presented at the gate. 

Fans may also watch the game live on the Heart Conference Network and follow along with live stats here. 

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