The Concordia College Alabama Soccer team is now only two wins from a United States Collegiate Athletic Association national championship.

Behind goals from Diego Outreiral and Danilo Silva, the Hornets defeated Illinois Tech 3-1 Thursday in the second round of the USCAA national tournament.

“Winning always helps to put the program on the map and to show we can compete,” Concordia head coach Emanuel Stephens said.

The Hornets led 2-0 near the half, but Rex Meier’s goal at the 43rd minute brought Illinois Tech within 2-1. Silva’s goal at the 58th minute put the match away.

“It’s just self-belief right now,” Stephens said. “It’s just believing that we are able to play the style of play that we want to play.”

Two more wins would probably open a lot of eyes.

Concordia will take on No. 1 seed University of Maine Fort Kent at 5:30 p.m. Friday, with a win putting the Hornets in the national championship game Saturday.  The Bengal Tigers have not lost a game all season and have the USCAA’s leading goal scorer in Ben Kluvers.

The other top seeds in the tournament, West Virginia Tech and Bryant and Staraton-Syracuse also advanced to the semifinals.

Concordia is the No. 4 overall seed in the tournament.

This is only Concordia’s second trip to the USCAA national championship. The tournament is being played in Charleston, West Virginia.