Rocky Mount, NC. — The North Carolina Wesleyan men's soccer team saw its run through the 2026 USA South Tournament come to a close in the championship match on Saturday afternoon, falling 2-0 to Southern Virginia University at Scalf Field. The Battling Bishops finished as the conference tournament runner-up after an impressive postseason run that included a comeback semifinal victory and a spot in the championship on their home field.
NC Wesleyan controlled much of the attack in a scoreless opening half, outshooting Southern Virginia 4-1 and earning three corner kicks. Cole Sheehan generated a pair of early opportunities before Joel McGinnes put a shot on goal in the 28th minute, forcing a save from Southern Virginia goalkeeper Isaac Northcutt.
The Battling Bishops continued to push forward immediately after halftime. Jesper Fornebo came inches away from opening the scoring in the 47th minute when his attempt struck the woodwork, followed moments later by another opportunity as NC Wesleyan continued to pressure the Knights.
Southern Virginia broke the scoreless tie at the 53:20 mark when Dexter Gunderson scored off assists from Porter Whitlock and Holden Calder. Gunderson added another goal at 62:43 off an assist from Whitlock to extend the Knights' advantage to 2-0.
NC Wesleyan continued battling and creating opportunities throughout the remainder of the championship match. Jordi Rodriguez added an attempt in the 77th minute before Lorenzo Bertoni put a shot on goal shortly after. McGinnes and Rafael Weinburg also forced saves in the closing minutes as the Bishops continued searching for a breakthrough through the final whistle.
The Bishops finished with 14 shots compared to just five for Southern Virginia and held a 6-0 advantage in corner kicks. McGinnes recorded two shots on goal, while Bertoni and Weinburg each added one. Elliot Helander played all 90 minutes in goal for NC Wesleyan.
Following the tournament, four Battling Bishops were recognized for their performances throughout NC Wesleyan's postseason run with selections to the 2026 USA South All-Tournament Team. Mikkel Christensen was selected at forward, Daan Post and Cole Sheehan earned spots in the midfield, and Jordi Rodriguez was recognized as a defender.
The four selections highlighted a strong tournament run for NC Wesleyan, which advanced to the championship after defeating Pfeiffer, 2-1, in the semifinal round. Christensen provided the game-winning goal in that victory, while Sheehan scored the equalizer to help send the Bishops into the conference final.
While the championship result did not go the Bishops' way, NC Wesleyan closed the USA South Tournament with plenty to be proud of. The Battling Bishops competed for a conference championship on their home field and were represented by four players on the All-Tournament Team, putting a strong finish on their 2026 campaign.
