ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - It took an overtime period to do so, but the 22nd-ranked Ashford University (19-1-2 overall) men's soccer dream season came to a close on Saturday, falling in the opening round of the NAIA National Championships, 1-0 in overtime, against No. 10 Benedictine College (16-2-1 overall).

Benedictine forward Sean Lewis recorded his NAIA-leading eighth game-winning goal at the 94:01 mark in overtime after a free kick spotted just past midfield by defender Jaymee Highcock.

The loss was the Saints' first of the season and concludes the best single season in school history. AU had played its last three postseason games on Ericson Field at the confines of Augustana College.

Benedictine advances to the next round in Fresno, Calif., where the 10th-seeded Ravens will take on either Notre Dame (Ohio) or Olivet Nazarene University (Ill.).

"It was a season to remember and I couldn't be anymore proud of our players," AU Head Coach Richard Markham said. "Unfortunately, we didn't capitalize on a few opportunities on the offensive end, but credit Benedictine for playing tough down the stretch. Our kids now know what it feels like to make the national tournament and they'll be as hungry as ever next year for another taste."

It turned out to be defensive struggle between both squads, as good as advertised, and both teams appeared to control the tempo at various stages of the game.

The battle of possession swayed into Benedictine's favor when the Ravens threw the ball inbounds because of midfielder Matt Scheipeter's throws that ranged 40-50 yards in distance.

Following one of Scheipeter's throws around the 80-minute mark, AU junior goalkeeper Nick Roman of Belvidere, Ill., made a sequence of plays that would make just about any highlight reel.

Roman dove to his right fully extended to stop a laser by BU's Kyle Greig and recovered in time to stop a rebound attempt on the opposite of the net by the Ravens' Ben Lausman.

Lausman's shot skidded on the ground and Roman smothered the ball to the disbelief of the Benedictine bench.

Lewis was able to get a shot off within the first minute of overtime, but a handball by an Ashford player set up the high-arcing shot by Highcock on the free kick. It appeared Lewis was able to sneak behind the backline of the defense and was in the right place at the right time as his shot found the back of the net.