CIU men’s soccer program made history at home on Tuesday evening when they advanced past Tennessee Wesleyan in penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw in regulation in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) semifinals. The Rams, the No. 2 overall seed, will now host Union College (Ky.) in the AAC Championship match this Friday, Nov. 11. 

After both teams were blanked in overtime, the match moved to a penalty shootout. CIU and TWU both found scores on their first four attempts, but CIU freshman keeper Chase Knizek came up big, blocking the Bulldog's fifth attempt with a diving save toward the right post. CIU ended the match with a fifth and final penalty kick to send CIU to their first-ever AAC Championship. 

Chase is a 2022 Dutch Fork High School graduate who played for many years with South Carolina United FC.  SCUFC is proud to have had Chase play with our club all the way from our recreational program to our USYA National League and ECNL teams.