Lebanon, Ill. - The University of Findlay men's soccer team saw it's 2024 season come to an end on Sunday, Dec. 1, falling in the third round of the NCAA Division II National Tournament by a final of 2-0 at the hands of the #12 McKendree Bearcats. That defeat ends the Oilers' year with a 12-4-5 record while MU remains unbeaten at 14-0-7 and moves on to play Saginaw Valley State in the Elite 8.

McKendree, which leads the nation in goals against average, shutout percentage, and save percentage, played as well as it has all season, but did surrender some chances early on. 

Seven minutes into the game, senior Mitchell Hanosh had the first good look for UF, but it was saved by the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Goalkeeper of the Year, Christian Herluf. Another shot on goal came just a minute later off the foot of Brendan Ash. Again, the shot was saved.

McKendree would finally strike 15 minutes into the game to take a 1-0 lead and, 15 minutes later, an awkward bounce off a ball played into the box by the Bearcats led to an own goal by UF, putting MU ahead 2-0.

Forced to play up tempo, the Oilers continued to take shots in the second half, but none led to scores as the Orange and Black saw its' season end as the clock hit 00:00.

Findlay outshot McKendree 22-to-11, seven of which were shots on goal.

Ash led the attack with four shots, two of which were on goal while senior David Cubillos and Hanosh each had three shots.

Few gave the Oilers a chance at the beginning of the year. Picked sixth in the preseason poll by the coaches of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), Findlay's fortune was thought to include scratching and clawing its' way through league play, barely finding a spot in the conference tournament.

Instead, UF put together one of the most historic seasons in program history. Rather than sneaking into the conference tournament as the league's sixth-best team, it was one of the final 16 remaining teams in all of Division II and collected a conference championship, the program's first, along the way.

The team's 12 wins are fourth-most by a team in program history and the NCAA Sweet 16 appearance is just the second.