MARION, Ind. -- A great crowd witnessed history at Wildcat Field tonight as Indiana Wesleyan University men’s soccer earns its first ever bid to the NAIA National Tournament with a 2-0 win over Spring Arbor (Mich.) in the Crossroads League Tournament championship match.

“It’s tremendous and we’ve wanted to do this for a couple years,” said Indiana Wesleyan head coach Mark Castro. “This has always been one of our goals, to get to the NAIA National Championship and we’ve always felt like we’ve had the teams to do it but it hasn’t worked out for us. For us to finally get to the big dance is absolutely fantastic.”

Indiana Wesleyan last won the league tournament in 2007 when they defeated Bethel (Ind.) in the finals. But at that time the NAIA still held regional tournaments while now league play determines national tournament qualifiers.

 “It’s just an amazing feeling,” said Wildcat junior Tyrone Martin. “Coming out here knowing it was going to be a really tough game and to get two goals and not let them score was amazing.”

Martin had the key moment in the match as he scored the game-winner with just 10.7 seconds remaining in the first half.

“It took the pressure off us to get a goal in the second half,” Martin said about his goal moments before halftime. “It motivated us and drove us into the next half to keep pushing for another goal and bring them to a point where they needed two goals.”

The Martin goal changed the entire second half of play after a first half that neither team could control play in a back-and-forth affair.

“Tyrone put the team on his shoulders and slammed it to the back of the net,” said Castro. “It was a huge confidence boost for us going into halftime. We weren’t really pleased with our performance up to that point but he scored that goal and that’s just a monster goal. Just before halftime too so it was great for us but crushing for Spring Arbor.”

Spring Arbor would never mount a serious rally at Indiana Wesleyan as they could only muster four second half shots, with only one making it on goal. IWU keeper Josh Goepper made the one save that he needed to as Indiana Wesleyan earned its 10th shutout of the season.

Indiana Wesleyan got a much needed insurance goal late in the game from Taylor Lehman. Sam Kane directed a pass towards Lehman who promptly one-touched the ball into the back of the net for a 2-0 advantage in the 81st minute.

“Thomas Canfield and Taylor Lehman were huge, huge substitutions that came into the game and changed the game with their work rate,” stated Castro. “It was a great goal by Taylor. It was the second in his career and was such an impactful goal and put Spring Arbor under the gun.”

Indiana Wesleyan will have to wait until Monday, November 18 to learn their NAIA National Championship Opening Round assignment. The 32-team field will be announced on the 18th with 16 matches at home sites. Indiana Wesleyan could possibly host an opening round contest. The match will be played on November 23 with the 16 winners advancing to the final site in Alabama.

“This is the greatest bunch of talent that we’ve had,” said Castro. “But more so I’m proud of their character of who they are and what they represent. I’m excited they get to experience a national tournament.”