WAVERLY -- The streak was on life support.

After suffering its third straight loss on Oct. 25 to Central -- the program's longest skid in seven years -- the Wartburg College men's soccer team realized its quest for a sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III tournament was a longshot.

"It was a scary feeling part way through the season," defenseman Robert Acosta said. "It was a reality check knowing you've got a lot of work to get to the national tournament."

The Knights' hopes rested on winning the Iowa Conference tournament.

And thanks to shutout victories over second-seeded Central and 21st-ranked Loras last weekend, Wartburg (15-6) earned the automatic berth and will play Wisconsin-Platteville in a first-round match at 5 p.m. Thursday in Platteville.

"Us seniors didn't want to be known as the group where the streak ends," Waterloo West alum and midfielder Elvis Alicic said. "We laid it all out there the last three games in the tournament."

Wartburg has only five seniors on its roster and with new coach T.J. Buchholz, many expected this to be a rebuilding year for the Knights.

"We were kind of doubted all year long," Acosta said. "Everyone thought at the end of last year Wartburg soccer is going to struggle this year. Here we are. I just want to keep proving people wrong."

The Knights have relied on a stingy defense. Goalkeeper Trent Michael, who posted two shutouts in the IIAC tournament, has compiled 14 of the team's 15 wins. He leads the league in goals against (0.71) and save percentage (86.7).

"Our defense is amazing this year," Michael said. "They don't get the credit they deserve. Those four guys in front of me are the key aspect to this team right now."

Buchholz said, "All season, they've been the bedrock and foundation of our team. We're a little bit younger and a little bit inexperienced at our midfield and up top, so we challenged those guys in the back. They had to step up."

Wartburg has posted 10 shutouts, and 12 of its 21 matches have been decided by a goal.

"This team has the most fight in it in the four years I've been here," said Alicic, who has scored five goals.

Eduardo Axcer Way leads the squad with nine goals, including four in the conference tournament.

Now, the Knights believe they can make an extended run in the NCAAs.

"We're peaking at the right time," Acosta said. "I don't have a doubt in my mind if we play to our potential and capabilities, we're one of the top contending teams in the nation."

Wartburg has been to the Sweet 16 in three of its five previous trips, including a spot in the Elite 8 in 2004. With a victory Thursday at Platteville, the Knights would play Carleton, which beat Wartburg 1-0 in the regular season, on Sunday in Northfield, Minn.

"We're not just happy to be there," Buchholz said. "We want to keep going forward. Right now, we're playing great soccer, and we're going to be a team that's going to be tough to beat in this tournament."

LAST TO FIRST: Teresa Kehe built a volleyball program from the ground up at Tripoli High School. By the time she left after the 2005 season, the Panthers racked up six state championships.

Kehe is now working her magic at Loras College. After the Duhawks finished last in the Iowa Conference a year ago, Kehe's team won the regular season and conference tournament titles and will play in its first NCAA Tournament this week at St. Thomas (Minn.) against Concordia-Moorhead.

"The turnaround for this program started the first day she stepped in here," Loras setter Jenny Dziubla told the Dubuque Telegraph Herald. "I've been here with her since her first year (in 2006), and just to see the attitudes changing and our expectations for ourselves changing.

"She's really the reason why we believe in ourselves and why we got here."

Kehe's team has been propelled by two Division I transfers ï½ Dziubla, who was at Northern Illinois, and hitter Katie Russell, who played at Xavier.

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Despite a 17-2-2 record and the program's first regular-season championship, the Wartburg women's soccer team didn't earn an at-large berth for the NCAA Tournament.

"It was difficult having to tell a great team that somehow the NCAA doesn't think they belong," Buchholz said. "It wasn't easy. We have a lot to be proud of, but it wasn't easy telling them. We were just disappointed with the decision."

TIDBITS: The Wartburg football team, which won the Iowa Conference title last weekend, will learn its postseason destination between 3 and 3:30 p.m. Sunday. ESPNNews will release the pairings for the 32-team field. … The Wartburg and Luther cross country teams will compete at the Division III Central Region meet Saturday at Oakland Acres Golf Course in Grinnell. The top finishers advance to next weekend's national meet in Hanover, Ind.

Contact Matt Coss at (319) 291-1468 or matt.coss@wcfcourier.com.