The Vikings outlasted the University of St. Thomas Sunday 1-0 in a penalty-filled match that secured the squad’s first trip to the NCAA Division III Final Four in program history.
For the second game in a row, the winning goal was scored by freshman Shatil Khoury, off a pass from senior Jason Gonzalez. The Tommie’s and their defense dominated the opening minutes of the half. But with 15 minutes left in the first half, Khoury struck, and the momentum shifted to the Vikings.
Each team played their trademark physical games, with the Vikings earning 26 fouls and the Tommies 20.
The win means North Park will head to Greensboro, NC, where they will face division rival University of Chicago on Saturday. The Vikings defeated the Maroons 1-0 during their one regular-season matchup.
The winner of that all-Chicago game will go to the National Championship, where they will face either Brandeis University or Messiah College. Reigning champion Tufts University was eliminated in semi-final action Sunday by Brandeis.
Watch the North Park–St. Thomas game recap on North Park’s Facebook and on the Athletic Department’s website.