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ORLANDO, Fla. (SMU) -- The No. 10 SMU men's soccer team was crowned champions of the American Athletic Conference on Saturday night after dispatching 1-seeded UCF on their home field, 1-0. With the victory the Mustangs have earned the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. 

The Mustangs (16-1-1) have now won three consecutive AAC championships, beating the Knights (14-2-2) in each match. It is the program's 21st conference championship.

The match was highly anticipated pitting the No. 10 Mustangs and the No. 5 Knights in a rematch. Earlier in the season the two top AAC sides played to a 3-3 draw in Dallas. But tonight, the Mustangs would be able to hold a powerful Knights' offense in check, as SMU goalkeeper Grant Makela corralled four saves on Saturday night, shutting UCF out for the first time since its loss to Lipscomb in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. 

The first 15 minutes of the match were virtually even, with both teams getting a few early chances. But as the teams settled in, the shots started flying as the next five minutes saw five shots between the two teams. The moment that decided the match came in the 24th minute when Lane Warrington played a cross across the face of the goal and the UCF defenders followed Garrett McLaughlin past the ball, leaving AAC defensive player of the year, Eddie Munjoma, wide open in front of net. He found the ball and put it in the back of the net, notching the third, and most important, game-winner of his season. 

The second half would feature a UCF onslaught of shots against the Mustangs' backline. The Knights would outshoot SMU 19-9, but only four of UCF's 19 chances went on frame, as the Mustangs blocked multiple shots before they could find Makela in net. 

But as time ticked away in the final minutes of the match, it set in that the Mustangs would be crowned champions. As the clock hit zero the team rushed to midfield to celebrate, for the third time in as many years. 

The Mustangs, who likely will be a national seed in the NCAA tournament, find out who they play on Monday, Nov. 18 at 12 p.m. CT when the selection committee releases its bracket.