Complete Game Notes | Ticket Link
Game #17: Rockhurst (5-5-4) at No. 8 Lincoln (12-0-4)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m. CDT
Site: Jefferson City, Mo.
Venue: Capital City High School
Tickets: https://lubluetigers.com/tickets
Live Video: https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/
 
THE KICK OFF:  The Lincoln men's soccer team, ranked No. 8 in the country according to the United Soccer Coaches Division II poll, will open its postseason run by hosting Rockhurst at Capital City High School at 2:00 p.m. in the quarterfinals of the GLVC Championship. LU went undefeated for the second-straight season, going 12-0-4 overall and 11-0-3 in league play to earn the top seed in the GLVC tournament. The Blue Tigers take on a Rockhurst team that went 5-5-4 overall and earned the No. 8 seed in the tourney. General admission tickets can be purchased at www.LUBlueTigers.com/tickets for $20. Veteran and active members of the military can purchase tickets at the gate for $18. LU students with a valid ID can get in for free while the cost for kids aged 4-17 is $5.
 
QUICK KICKS
- LU is 1-1-1 against Rockhurst over the past three years.
 
- Lincoln beat Rockhurst in Kansas City, 3-0, back on Sept. 23.
 
- This is the second-straight year that Lincoln has hosted a GLVC Championship quarterfinal match. Last season, LU beat Missouri S&T in that round, 4-0.
 
PREVIEWING THE BLUE TIGERS:  Jonathan Nemorden leads Lincoln with 26 points, as he has scored 12 goals and tallied two assists. Makwe Nkoana has four goals on the season and Jerome Lawel has five goals and six assists. All three players have earned GLVC Offensive Player of the Week accolades this season. In goal, Felipe Mattos has five shutouts and 31 saves.
 
HEAD COACH SAMMY SAMUELS:  A proven winner, Sammy Samuels is in his third season as the head coach of the Lincoln men's soccer team. Last year, Samuels led the Blue Tigers to a 10-0-6 record in the regular season as well as a berth in the NCAA Sweet 16. During five seasons as the head coach at Maine-Fort Kent, Samuels coached 13 All-Americans and posted a 53-12-8 record. During that span, UMFK won the 2022 USCAA national title and was the national runner-up in both 2019 and 2021.
 
LAST TIME OUT:  McKendree and Lincoln played the remaining 49:19 of a match that began on Sept. 9 but was suspended due to rain this past Tuesday (Oct. 27). LU had a 2-0 lead when play was halted and held on for a 4-0 victory in the final match of the regular season for both teams. Junior Grizzelle scored two goals while leading LU with five total shots. Nicholas Asante had a goal and an assist and Jonathan Nemorden scored the final goal for the Blue Tigers.
 
SCOUTING THE HAWKS:  Riley McGill leads the Hawks with four goals while Blake Barrick and Tommaso Silanos have three apiece and Nick Marchetti has a team-high four assists. Nine other Hawks have at least one goal on the season, with Ozonna Ugbaja scoring twice. Luke Strueby leads Rockhurst's keepers with 47 saves.
 
UNDEFEATED:  For the second-straight year, the Blue Tigers enjoyed an unbeaten regular season. LU posted a 12-0-4 record this year after going 10-0-6 during the regular season in 2025. Lincoln has won or tied 34-straight regular season games.
 
GLVC CHAMPS:  With 36 points in the league table, the Blue Tigers have clinched the GLVC's regular season championship. This marks LU's first GLVC regular season title in any sport. The Blue Tigers have an 11-0-3 record in league play and an overall record of 12-0-4. Lincoln lived up to the expectation of the league's coaches, which picked LU No. 1 in the 2026 preseason poll.
 
BACK IN THE RANKINGS:  LU's unbeaten record has generated national notice, as Lincoln is ranked No. 8 in the country in this week's United Soccer Coaches Division II poll. The Blue Tigers are the highest-ranked GLVC program, with Drury ranked No. 22 in this week's poll. The Blue Tigers are No. 6 in the NPI, which is used for NCAA tournament seeding. Regionally, LU is ranked No. 1 in Super Region 3.
 
ON THE OFFENSIVE:  Three Blue Tigers have been named the GLVC Offensive Player of the Week this year, including Jonathan Nemorden, who was honored on both Sept. 28 and Oct. 19. Makwe Nkoana picked up the honor after a three-goal week against William Jewell a& Lewis while Jerome Lawel was recognized for two goals vs. UMSL and an assist at Indianapolis.
 
GETTING DEFENSIVE:  Lincoln has used two goalkeepers in 2026, and both have been named GLVC Defensive Players of the Week. Vincent Osei was honored on Sept. 14 after leading LU to a 3-1 win over Southwest Baptist. Felipe Mattos claimed the award on Sept. 28 after a dominant performance against Rockhurst.
 
HOME PITCH ADVANTAGE:  The Blue Tigers have never lost or tied a match at Capital City High School, with Lincoln owning an all-time mark of 10-0 on the pitch at CCHS. That includes a GLVC Championship quarterfinal victory over Missouri S&T and an NCAA tournament win over Tiffin last season. LU, which beat Drury, 7-0, at CCHS in 2024, is 7-0 in home matches this year.
 
LU IN THE NCAA:  Lincoln is 10th in NCAA Division II in in goal differential (+25), sixth in save percentage (.843) and 13th in goals allowed per match (0.7). Jonathan Nemorden is second in the country in game-winning goals (six) and Felipe Mattos has the nation's second-best save percentage (.880). Lincoln's 36 goals scored rank 27th in Division II.
 
JOIN THE CLUB:  The Blue Tiger Athletics Club is a great way to engage with other LU fans while supporting all Lincoln student-athletes. Every dollar raised by the club goes towards scholarships, improving the facilities and purchasing equipment. To join the BTAC, or to learn more, please visit www.LUBlueTigers.com/BTAC.
 
WATCH LIVE:  Fans who are unable to attend a game in person will still be able to cheer on their Blue Tigers to victory via the GLVC Sports Network. All seven Lincoln home games will be broadcast live and can be watched at https://www.glvcsn.com/lincolnbluetigers/.
 
GEAR UP FOR THE GAME:  Lincoln fans can get everything they need for the game at www.BlueTigersStore.com, the official online store for LU athletics. Everything from jerseys to office supplies can be found on the site, with a portion of all online sales going to benefit Lincoln athletics.
 
NEXT UP:  If Lincoln beats Rockhurst, it will play in the GLVC semifinals on Friday (Nov. 6) in Springfield, Mo.