Burlington, Iowa – Exploding for three goals in the second half, #2 seeded Judson University (15-4-3) won their fourth straight NAIA Region VII Championship, 4-1, over #1 seeded St. Ambrose (15-6-2). Gustavo Oliveira recorded two of the three goals in the second half to spur JU to the victory.

Judson has now claimed the last four NAIA Region VII Championships and receives the automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament in Olathe, Kansas. The NAIA National Tournament will take place November 14-20 hosted by Mid-America Nazarene University.

The Judson seniors have now created a dynasty in the Chicagoland area by winning four straight CCAC Championships, CCAC Tournament Championships, and NAIA Region VII Championships. The trip to Kansas also marks their fourth straight trip to the NAIA National Tournament.

Mark Howlett put Judson on the board first in the 27^th minute when Oliveira sailed a free kick into the box from 40-yards out. Howlett took the ball on the left side of the goal and pushed it in for the 1-0 advantage. The lead did not last long as St. Ambrose’s Kendrick Tyson found the net in the 33^rd minute off a breakaway to tie the game at one.

With the game tied at one, the second half had the chance of going either way. In the first 10 minutes of the half, SAU had three shots on goal but JU’s Neil Thompson saved all three shots to conserve the tie. After the third save in the 55^th minute, JU’s Oliveira blocked a SAU kick out of the box, took the ball by himself, and then beat the goalie to break the tie. Again, in the next 10 minutes, SAU had their chance to tie the game as they took three shots. Two of them were saved by JU’s Thompson with one sailing wide left.

After Thompson saved another SAU kick, Oliveira came through with his second goal of the match in the 70^th minute. He took the ball by himself, again, at the top of the box and dribbled around defenders and then sailed the shot from12-yards out for a 3-1 lead. Howlett recorded his 16^th goal of the 2007 season in the 77^th minute when Jimmy Romano found him on a breakaway from the right side of the field. Howlett took the ball and then coasted a shot in from 18-yards out to seal the victory, 4-1.

JU’s Thompson had eight saves on the game and faced 24 shots with nine on goal. SAU’s Justin DeSousa recorded three saves. SAU out shot JU, 24-14, and had more fouls, 13-12.

Judson will now wait to see who they will play in the NAIA National Tournament. They finished the regular season receiving votes in the national poll with Grand View the only team from the region ranked because they were #1 in the final NAIA Region VII poll.