ANGOLA, Ind. – On a wet and rainy Sunday afternoon, the Trine University men's soccer team took the pitch versus the Benedictine University Eagles. The Thunder made it three consecutive victories with a 2-1 win on Weaver Field.
The dub was also significant for the team as it was the 50th career win for David Jacobs as head coach of the men's soccer program.
It was a chaotic start to the match, with both squads putting balls in the back of the net, but both potential goals were also negated due to offsides penalties. Ryan Cote was able to break through for the game's first countable goal of the match in the ninth minute. It is the freshman Cote's first career goal at the collegiate level. Tyler Murphy was credited with the find on the play. He shoveled a pass from the scrum inside the box to Cote in space on the backside for the score.
The elements caused slipping and sliding, but Jay Stevens and Luke Kearns kept the pressure on the Eagles defense with a combined three shots and Murphy had his shot turned away by the Benedictine keeper in the 19th minute.
Murphy would create a similar opportunity in the 29th minute as he did for Cote to defender Jared Cromwell. Cromwell netted his first goal of the season to put the team up 2-0.
That score looked as though it would remain until the break, however a breakaway opportunity for the Eagles resulted in a score with just 12 seconds remaining until the half came to a close.
After getting some offense in, Benedictine remained on the hunt for the equalizer. Trine keeper Aidan McGonagle notched a save near the crossbar to keep the Thunder in front in the 53rd minute.
The defense of McGonagle, Cromwell, Cote, Gavin Hardy and Liam Zimmerman withstood the pressure of seven second half shots for the Eagles. All of them were turned away in a scoreless half that resulted in a 2-1 victory for the home team.
In total, Stevens and Kearns led the team with two shots apiece. McGonagle picked up the win with four saves on his sheet.
Trine hits the road for the first time in 2022 on Wednesday, September 14 for a 5 pm match against the Bluffton University Beavers.
