LEBANON, Tenn. - - Tomorrow at 1:00 PM the Cumberland men's soccer team will take on Georgia Gwinnett College, the first time the Phoenix have ever appeared at the final site of an NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship.

Cumberland made their way to the final site as the No. 8 seed in the country but first had to make their way past Carroll (Mont.). That second round matchup saw the Phoenix go through 3-0 winners over the Montana side, seeing goals from Wesley Mendoza, Luis Cerejo, and Dominik Gedek.

With that win, the Phoenix move to 14-3-3 on the year and across 20 games this fall, Cumberland has been one of the most high-flying and potent attacks in the nation, led by Philipp Schmidtke, Luis Cerejo, and Miquel Gelabert. That trio has continued to carry the load for one of the nation's most dynamic attacks. Schmidtke finished the regular season with 16 goals and 12 assists, earning Mid-South Conference Player of the Year and becoming the first Phoenix student-athlete to ever claim the honor.

Gelabert delivered 14 goals and 11 assists in a breakout freshman campaign to secure MSC Freshman of the Year and a spot on the First-Team alongside Schmidtke. Cerejo, who produced 11 goals and 15 assists, joined Mark Donaldson on the MSC Second-Team.

Cumberland's depth in the attack has also been a major storyline. Pau Ortega added 11 goals and five assists, while Harold Perea contributed three goals and nine assists across 18 appearances. Jostin Angel chipped in four goals and three assists, and Alejandro Vega and Wesley Mendoza each posted six-point campaigns.

The all-time series history is much kinder to the Grizzlies than it is the Phoenix, as GGC leads with four wins and a tie while CU hasn't managed a win yet. Most recently Gwinnett took down Cumberland at home in 2021, winning 3-2 in a double overtime thriller.

Looking at No. 9-seed Georgia Gwinnett, the Grizzlies are led by Freshman standout Ousmane Fall headlines the attack, leading the team with 15 goals and 34 points, including four game-winners. His impact on the pitch earned him both CAC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors.

Sophomore Alejandro Contrera has chipped in 10 goals and six assists, securing First-Team All-CAC recognition and being named the conference tournament's Most Outstanding Player. His classmate, Djordje Djurasinovic, has contributed eight goals on the year, while freshman Luka Colic added five goals on his way to First-Team All-CAC selection.

Sophomore Gabriel Martins shares the team lead with six assists, and fellow sophomore Josefa Simao has produced three goals and three assists to bolster the attack. In goal, freshman Victor Darub has been a difference-maker. He's recorded eight shutouts, made 50 saves, and delivered two crucial penalty-kick stops in the shootout win over Rio Grande. Darub has started all 18 matches and was honored as the CAC Goalkeeper of the Year.

The winner of Monday's Round of 16 match advances to the quarterfinal round on Thursday, December 4, against the winner of Monday's Round of 16 match between No. 1 seed Bethel University (Tenn.) and unseeded Grand View University (Iowa).