NORTHFIELD, Minn. – A year ago, when the NCAA held its selection for the Division III men's soccer tournament, the Yellowjackets were placed in a regional hosted by St. Olaf College. The Yellowjackets drew the host Oles in the opening round, and their tournament experience lasted one day, with St. Olaf taking the Yellowjackets down on their way to a national title.
 
Fast forward a year, and the Yellowjackets, after winning the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) regular season and tournament titles, were once again placed in the regional hosted by St. Olaf.
 
Things surrounding this year's version of the Yellowjackets have just felt different than previous years, and Saturday, the 'Jackets showed how much different.
 
After a scoreless first half, the Yellowjackets broke the ice with a goal in the 61st minute, and the team's defense made the goal hold up, as the Yellowjackets upset North Park 1-0 in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament.
 
The Yellowjackets (18-3-2), who were the No. 3 seed in the bracket, will now move on for a rematch with top-seeded St. Olaf following the win over North Park, who entered the day ranked No. 9 in the country.
 
Josh Bellamy (High Wycombe, England/FAB Football Academy), who throughout his career has had a penchant for scoring in the clutch (see the 2021 UMAC Tournament Championship Game for further evidence), hit paydirt for the Yellowjackets in the first third of the second half. In the 61st minute, Aaron Shartin-Folkert (Hudson, Wis./Somerset) took control of the ball near the top of the box and threaded a pass to the middle, where Bellamy rifled a shot with his right foot high into the upper right corner from the top of the box to give the Yellowjackets the lead.
 
For Bellamy, the goal was his 10th of the season.
 
With the victory, the Yellowjackets advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.
 
Match Notes

• The Yellowjackets attempted 10 shots in the first half, compared to seven for North Park.
• Shots on goal favored the Yellowjackets 4-3 before the break.
• The teams traded shots to start the second half before Bellamy and the Yellowjackets broke through at the 60:45 mark.
• Team defenses tightened after the Bellamy, with the teams combining for just three shots on goal the rest of the way.
• Alex Paredes (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) got the start in goal for the Yellowjackets and made six saves in the shutout effort, his seventh perfect sheet of the season.
• With the win, Paredes is now 14-3-2 on the year.
• For the match the Yellowjackets had 18 shot attempts compared to 13 for North Park. Shots on goal also favored the Yellowjackets 7-6.
• Bellamy, Zach Tiemeyer (Waunakee, Wis./Waunakee Community) and Phillip Eriksen (Skjetten, Norway/Lorenskog) tied for the team lead with two shots on goal apiece.
• Team scoring leader Jake Kidd (Superior, Wis./Superior) was held in check, as North Park focused its defensive plan on the Yellowjacket junior.
• The last time the Yellowjackets won a game in the NCAA Tournament was five years to the day of today's triumph. Nov. 16, 2019, the Yellowjackets defeated Central College 3-2 on a muddy pitch in Decorah, Iowa.
• In the second round in 2019, the Yellowjackets played Luther College to a 1-1 overtime tie before falling to the Norse on penalty kicks.

The second-round match between the Yellowjackets and St. Olaf is scheduled for Sunday, with the opening kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. at St. Olaf's Rolf Mellby Field.
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