Council Bluffs, IA – No. 2 seed Indian Hills Men's Soccer is set to head to top-seeded Iowa Western Community College for the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Men's Soccer Region XI Championship Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2:00 PM at the Reiver Sports Complex.

DETAILS: NJCAA Region XI Championship: (2) Indian Hills at (1) #2 Iowa Western

Saturday, October 29  |  2:00 PM

WATCH LIVE: Reiver Sports Network

TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: NJCAA DI Men's Soccer Region XI Tournament Bracket

Here's five things to know as we head into Saturday's championship match.

1.  Warriors in First Title Game Since 2017

Indian Hills advanced to its first region championship since 2017 where the Warriors defeated Iowa Western 3-1 and advanced to its first-ever NJCAA National Tournament. The most accomplished year in program history, the 2017 squad went 1-1-0 in pool play at the national tournament and were ranked as high as No. 5 in the national rankings that year.

Since 2017, the Warriors have gone just 1-4-0 in postseason play, including two straight seasons where Indian Hills saw its season end at Iowa Western.

2. In it for the Long Haul

In just two years under head coach Kevin Nuss, Indian Hills and Iowa Western have provided plenty of memorable moments on the pitch. The last three matchups between the clubs have gone to extra time, including a double overtime thriller in the team's first meeting this year and a 2-2 draw in the team's second meeting in Ottumwa. In the last three meetings, the two sides are averaging 103.3 minutes per game.

The Warriors and Reivers met in last year's NJCAA Region XI Semifinal round where Iowa Western upended the Warriors 2-1 in overtime.

3. Something's Gotta Give

The two teams lead the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) in total goals this year and both rank inside the top-six nationally. The Warriors rank second among all NJCAA schools with 73 goals while Iowa Western ranks sixth with 58.

On the defensive front, Iowa Western ranks second in the nation with a 0.65 goals against average. Iowa Western has allowed more than just two goals in a game once this year – the 4-3 double overtime victory over Indian Hills on September 28.

The difference maker for the Warriors this year? Indian Hills is 11-1-1 when allowing two goals or less

4. Verdirosi Making History

Freshman Daniele Verdirosi has continued to climb the Indian Hills Men's Soccer Record Book. The attacker's 18 goals this season are third-most in both a single season and career for the Warriors while the mark leads all NJCAA scorers across the nation this year.

The only individual to score more than Verdirosi in a single season? Former All-American Akean Shackleford, a member of the 2017 program that reached the national tournament.

5. What's Next?

The winner of Saturday's championship match advances to the NJCAA Midwest District Tournament, a four-team field consisting of teams from Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois. Saturday's winner between Indian Hills and Iowa Western will face the Missouri region champion on November 4 in the semifinal round while two teams from Illinois will square off on the other side of the bracket.

The District championship will be held November 6 in Illinois with the winner earning an automatic berth to the NJCAA National Tournament. Along with eight regional automatic qualifiers to the national tournament, four at-large bids are up for grabs.

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