SPRINGFIELD, Ore. – Rocky's men's soccer team defeated Southern Oregon in a penalty shootout to claim the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship.

The Battlin' Bears and the Southern Oregon Raiders matched each other step-by-step.

The Raiders held only a 14-13 shot-advantage over the Battlin' Bears. Both teams attempted seven shots on goal. Both goalkeepers recorded six saves with only one goal allowed.

Southern Oregon's Mitchell Pinney knocked in a header with an assist from Brendan Allen in the 58th minute.

Rocky's Tulio Melo found the back of the net from 18 yards out off a corner-kick from Sky Swenson.
 
Neither team was able to score in the two overtime periods.

Marking a first for the Cascade Collegiate Conference since the beginning of the current single-site tournament, a championship match was decided in a penalty kick shootout.

Goalkeeper Kristofer Wennin and accurate Rocky shooting powered the Battlin' Bears to a 4-3 win in penalty kicks. 

The Battlin' Bears will continue their season in the 2018 NAIA Men's Soccer National Championship. The NAIA will announce the championship bracket on Monday.