Oberlin, Ohio - The Oberlin College men's soccer team earned a berth in to the North Coast Athletic Conference Championship match for the first time in school history by defeating the Wabash College Little Giants, 2-1, on Wednesday night at Fred Shults Field in the NCAC Semifinal.

Seeded second, the Yeomen earned the right to play in front of their home faithful and the large crowd did not disappoint as they were loud throughout the 90-minute match. The victory moved the Yeomen to 15-3-1 overall, marking the most wins in a season in program history. 

The Yeomen pestered the Little Giants throughout the opening session with a couple of dangerous chances. In the 22nd minute the Yeomen nearly got on the board as Timothy Williams swung a pass to the nearside where Sam Weiss sent a cross back to the middle, but Nick Wertman's run came up empty. 

After breathing a sigh of relief, Wabash keeper Dayton Jennings would again find himself in a precarious position just over a minute later as Trenton Bulucea got free in the middle and delivered a beautiful lead pass to Wertman who buried his first goal of the night. 

The Little Giants had their first-half chances mainly off the counter-attack and on setpieces. They earned three corners and drew four Yeomen fouls which allowed them a chance to score, but only three of their nine shots in the period were on frame and all three were turned away by Koryn Kraemer. 

Oberlin kept up the pressure to start the second session. A free kick from the near wing by Matthew Bach-Lombardo curled just wide of the left post in the 57th minute and moments later a dangerous combo play in the box was thwarted away. 

However, the Yeomen would eventually cash in the all-important second goal as Wertman netted his 16th tally and seventh game winner of the season by finishing off two connecting passes from Williams and Bulucea.

Wabash continued to fight back on the counter and would cut the deficit in half in the 83rd minute as Francisco Trejo found space in the middle to net his second goal of the year.

With the lead intact the Yeomen quickly regrouped and prevented the Little Giants from even attempting a shot over the final seven minutes of action. 

Wabash ended with a 15-12 edge in shots, but shots on goal were even at five. Oberlin also worked its way to eight corners compared to the Litte Giants three. 

Kraemer made a key second-half save on a header attempt to finish with four saves while Jennings posted three stops for the visitors. 

For Oberlin it is their fifth all-time appearance (2005, 2006, 2013, 2015, 2016) in the conference tournament that started in 2000. 

They will now earn a rematch against top-seeded Kenyon on Saturday afternoon. The Lords snuck past the Yeomen in controversial fashion, 3-2, in double overtime in the team's lone match of the year. The Lords took down No. 4 seed DePauw 4-1 in the other semifinal earlier today. 

The first touch of Saturday's championship match at McBride Field in Gambier, Ohio, is set for 1 p.m.