No. 14 Baker Hosts Second Straight NAIA Match, Faces Indiana Tech in Opening Round
BALDWIN CITY - For the second straight year, Baker men's soccer will host a national postseason match after drawing the No. 14 seed and earning a matchup against Indiana Tech in the 2025 NAIA Men's Soccer National Tournament Second Round.
The Wildcats and Warriors will square off on Saturday, Nov. 22, with kickoff set for 5 p.m. (CT) on Hartley Field in Baldwin City, Kan.
Baker (14-4-3) secured the program's second straight - and 14th overall - appearance in the NAIA tournament after clinching the Heart of America Athletic Conference regular-season championship. BU closed the regular season on an incredible run, going unbeaten in its last 10 games to capture the Wildcats' first league title since 2017.
The Wildcats went 9-3-1 in conference play and reached the title game of the Heart Conference Tournament before falling to MidAmerica Nazarene, who earned the NAIA's seventh seed, on penalty kicks. The result extended BU's unbeaten streak to a staggering 13 matches, a stretch that goes back two months to Baker's most recent loss - a road setback at William Penn on Sept. 20.
BU, MNU and WPU were three of four total teams from the Heart to be selected to the national tournament, with Grand View joining the Statesmen in receiving an at-large bid. William Penn was NAIA runner-up last year, continuing a dominating stretch from the conference, which has seen a Heart team in the national championship in seven of the last 10 years.
Baker's roster features the Heart Player of the Year in Chafik El Idrissi and six total all-conference honorees, with Dominik Foldesi and Akira Itadani joining El Idrissi on the All-Heart First Team. Maxot Arystanov, Javaughn Barrett and Marco Salgado were named to the Third Team.
Indiana Tech is making its seventh straight and 10th overall NAIA postseason trip, entering at 16-4-1 after claiming the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Tournament title with a 2-0 win over Madonna. The Warriors come into the matchup almost as hot as BU, winning 11 of their last 12 matches, including five consecutive victories.
Tech is led by its two leading goal scorers in Mark McDaid and Liam Arthur, who each have nine goals this year, as well as a stout defense that has posted nine clean sheets this fall and allowed just two goals in their last five matches. McDaid, goalkeeper Cuba Grant, midfielder Emerson Nieto, and defender Thomas Cole were first-team all-conference selections for the Warriors.
Tickets will be available for purchase both at the gate and online prior to the day of the event. Online tickets can be purchased via HomeTown Ticketing.
Admission prices:
Adults - $10
Senior Citizens/Military Veterans - $5
College Students - $5
Children (Ages 13-18) - $5
Children (12 and Under) - FREE
A live stream of the match will be available for free on the Urban Edge Network. Live stats will be available here.
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