NCAA Bracket

AZUSA, Pacific – Freshman goalkeeper Tom Miles registered seven saves on Saturday night to send the No. 17 Buffaloes of West Texas A&M to the Third Round of the NCAA Division II Tournament.  WT defeated the No. 10 Azusa Pacific Cougars, 3-2, at the Cougar Soccer Complex in Azusa, Calif.  
 
The Buffs improved to 14-4 to advance to the next round where they will face the winner of No. 2 seed Midwestern State (16-2-1) and No. 7 seed Cal Poly Pomona (13-4-3) while APU concluded its season 12-2-2.  
 
After 20 minutes of scoreless action, the Buffs jumped on the board in the 23^rd-minute with Giancarlo Saldana's 20^thcareer goal.  The junior buried the opening goal into the left corner from 30-yards out after completing a pass from Ben Siri. 
 
Azusa Pacific evened the score 10 minutes later as Gregoire Diep converted the penalty kick to make it 1-all until the Buffs took back the lead with Siri's own score.  The Nahalal, Israel product netted his second career goal directly from a corner kick.  His shot landed just out of range of the Cougar's keeper Leo Moreno to lead 2-1 at the half.  
 
WT led off scoring in the second half a Saldana's second goal of the match.  He beat APU's backline to find the back of the net in the 49^th-minute, recording his fourth brace of the season.  The Cougars brought the match within one as James Ndubeze snuck one past Tom Miles with Marco Astorga and Zac Ingalis each credited with the assists. 
 
The Cougar's had great opportunities to even the score in the 71^st- and 74^th-minute but Diep's and Ndubueze's attempts were each denied by Miles to preserve the Buffs lead. 
 
APU outshot the Buffs 21-7 with nine landing on target while the Buffs were limited to three shots-on-goal.  Saldana registered a team-high four shots with two on target while Miles moved to 13-2-0 on the season with a career-high seven saves.