HOUSTON, TX- The University of St. Thomas men's soccer team hosted the University of the Ozarks for a home conference match at SaberCats Stadium. The game provided moments of victory, intensity, and grit that led to the Celts securing a 3-2 win over the Eagles. This added to UST's overall record to 8-4-1 and their conference record to 4-3-1.
The Celts came out firing early in the first half, setting the tone with fast-paced play and high energy. Just four minutes into the match,
Emmanuel Rodriguez opened the scoring in favor of St. Thomas with an assist from
Jacob Reyes, giving the Celts a 1-0 lead. The Eagles struggled to respond as the Celts continued to apply pressure, and in the 18th minute, Reyes found the back of the net, earning a solo goal to make it 2-0. UST's offensive rhythm continued as
Aldo Hernandez,
Brandon Delaney, and
Nathan Udojie each took strong shots before
Richard Monge flew solo, earning his first goal of the season and first career goal as a Celt, to extend the lead to 3-0. Late in the half, however, the Eagles fought back with two goals, threatening the Celts' lead to be 3-2 going into halftime, creating a high-pressure environment for both teams.
The second half brought even more intensity as the teams battled to control possession and tempo. UST worked to protect their lead while still creating offensive chances, showcasing resilience and teamwork. Despite the physical nature of the match and a few tense moments on the field, the Celts maintained to put up multiple shots and stood firm defensively. The game closed out with a 3-2 victory, in favor of UST,
securing another crucial conference win.
Match Notes:
Up Next:
The Celts travel to Austin, TX to face Concordia University for another SCAC conference match-up. Match is set to be on Friday, Oct. 24th @7:30 PM. For more updates, visit www.ustcelts.com or follow @USTathletics and @ustmsoccer on Instagram.
