DELAND, Fla. – The Jacksonville University men's soccer team (7-4-1) endured a lost fall season, injuries, and a suspended ASUN Championship game, but at the end of it all, came away as the 2021 Spring Men's Soccer ASUN Champions following a 2-0 defeat of FGCU (4-4-3) at Stetson on Sunday afternoon.

The most bizarre of circumstances led to a restart of this match after 45 minutes were played on Saturday night at Southern Oak Stadium in Jacksonville. The Dolphins trailed FGCU, 2-0, when the skies opened up and mother nature prevented the game from being completed. As a result, the match was ruled a no contest and would need to restart. The administration and support staff on both sides worked tirelessly through the night to ensure the match would occur at a weather-safe venue. Stetson answered the call.

The new ASUN Championship match began in full sun at 3:07 p.m. on Sunday afternoon and lived up to the hype that grew as tensions mounted on Saturday evening in Jacksonville. In the end, the Dolphins came away with their second ASUN Men's Soccer Championship, first since 2008 and first in the tenure of head coach Mauricio Ruiz. It's also the first conference tournament championship by a men's program at JU since 2009.

"We tried to quiet the noise that today was going to be a championship game but we knew what was at stake," head coach Mauricio Ruiz said. "After last night we needed to calm things down and I'm so proud and feel incredibly blessed with how these boys handled the adversity. Today, on full display, was the resiliency that our boys have shown all season long."

The Dolphins will now wait to learn where they'll be headed in the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show will air on NCAA.com at Noon on Monday (Apr. 19). All matches in the NCAA Tournament this season will be held in the state of North Carolina at various venues throughout the state. Currently, the campus venues that will host tournament games are at Campbell, East Carolina, University of North Carolina Wilmington, UNC Greensboro and Wake Forest.

As for the match itself the score was level, 0-0, at the end of the first half. In the 60th minute, the Dolphins were granted a free kick around 25 yards out, to the left of the goal mouth. Alex Salvador served a pass into the box that Nil Ringstrand headed on to Connar Lufkin to redirected a shot past FGCU's all-conference goalkeeper to break the seal in this one. Lufkin wasn't done.

In the 67th minute, Cao Chaves carried along the left side baseline, almost all the way to the left post before serving to a wide-open Lufkin out front who easily chipped home his second score. The Dolphins now held a lead that felt insurmountable with just 23 minutes left to play. The goal was Lufkin's third of the tournament and the assist was Chaves' fifth of the tournament and sixth in four games. He had not assisted a goal prior to that this season. All three of Lufkin's goals this season, came during this tournament. For his efforts, Lufkin was named the Tournament MVP.

"Connar Lufkin is Mr. Reliable, he's the heart of our team," Ruiz said of the redshirt-senior's performance. "I told him the other day that we are going to name our captaincy after him because he represents our team and what we're about to the core. He's a warrior, a fighter and does whatever we ask of him. He's been a starter, a reserve, but he always plays big minutes for us. His such poetic justice for him to be named MVP."

Chaves, Ringstrand, Olivier Correa and Reed Davis joined Lufkin on the All-Tournament team. Matt Levy made the only two saves he needed to make on Sunday and the defense as a unit secured its sixth shutout of the season the Dolphins allowed just two goals to ASUN opponents over the last five games.
 
The NCAA men's soccer tournament will get underway on Apr. 29 and conclude when a national champion is crowned on May 17.