CONWAY, Ark. – At home one last time with major implications, the Central Arkansas men's soccer team pulled off a 3-0 win over North Florida to earn a third-straight ASUN Championship berth. After honoring the accomplishments of their four seniors, the Bears got up early and never looked back.
 
The win improves the Bears to 3-8-4 on the season, with a 2-2-3 run in ASUN matches to claim a postseason spot. Devonte Richards tallied two goals, including the game-winner, putting him over the ten-point mark for the season. Pietro Fontana also scored, his team-leading 12^th goal of the season. The sophomore forward has scored in five of the last six games, and six of the last eight contests.
 
Richards got the scoring started early, collecting a loose ball on a corner kick from Andres Robles before planting it in the back of the net. The 12^th minute score marked the first goal for the junior since the match against Lipscomb, and put the Bears in the driver's seat early. Robles nearly added to the lead himself just minutes later, putting a shot on goal that was saved in the 21^st minute.
 
The 1-0 lead held through the halftime horn, with Central Arkansas firmly in control on its home pitch. The Bears took four more corner kicks than the Ospreys, and in general kept possession in the attacking third. Central Arkansas' direct approach seemed to be effective on the wet field, with the quick-moving ball skipping around the pitch.
 
It took less than ten minutes for the Bears to strike in the new half, with Richards playing a ball to Fontana, who finished his 12^th goal of the season. The Italian forward is just the ninth player in program history to score 12 times in a single season, and the first since 2017. Richards notched his team-best sixth assist of the season, adding to his point total. Down 2-0, the Ospreys tried to claw their way back into it, mounting several deep dives into the defensive third. But Javier Ramirez and the defense stayed on top of things, stopping shots beyond the 85^th minute to keep the shutout.
 
Fontana and Richards took an opportunity on a counter attack, utilizing the blinding speed of both players to flip the field in the blink of an eye. Playing back and forth with one another, Fontana blasted a shot that was saved… right into the shooting pocket of Richards, who punched in his second goal of the match.
 
The Bears lock up a postseason spot and have all but guaranteed themselves the No. 5 seed in next week's ASUN Championship, thanks to other results around the league. This takes Central Arkansas to Nashville, Tenn., to play on the Lipscomb side of the bracket.