Sept. 1 marked the first game of the regular season for the Trinity men’s and women’s soccer teams. Both teams started out the season strong at home against non-conference rivals, with the men winning against Hardin-Simmons and the women beating Our Lady of the Lake (OLLU).
The women dominated in their match, taking a 8-0 victory. Trinity controlled the entire game, scoring four goals in the first half and four in the second. Their first four goals were scored by junior Julia Kelly, junior Colleen Markey, sophomore Chelsea Cole and senior Yasmeen Farra, and the final four scored by junior Meredith Licata, senior Allison Carter, sophomore Katie Peth and junior Abby Tisdale.
The women’s team has a long-standing history of winning their season opener, and this marks their ninth consecutive season opener win. This win, however, was more decisive than in recent years, with the women winning 1-0 against OLLU in 2015 and 7-1 against St. Scholastica in 2014. It also marked the first victory for new head coach Dylan Harrison, which bodes well for a strong 2016 season.
The Trinity women’s soccer team is currently ranked No. 7 in the national Division III rankings. Their next game will be this Friday, Sept. 9 at home against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
The men’s season kickoff was much more tightly-contested, with the game going down to the wire. The men’s soccer team faced Hardin-Simmons and came away with a hard-fought 2-1 victory.
The Trinity men came out strong in the first half of the game. The first goal was scored by sophomore Austin Michaelis in the eleventh minute of the game, and the rest of the half was controlled by the Tigers. At halftime the score remained 1-0.
In the second half, Hardin-Simmons fought back. The Cowboys’ goalkeeper blocked a total of nine shots, and with about 25 minutes left in the game, Hardin-Simmons tied the score 1-1. The score remained tied for the rest of the half, until, with only 12 seconds left on the clock, the ball was loose in the penalty box. Michaelis managed to kick it in, getting his second point of the game and securing a Tiger victory of 2-1.
Throughout the game, the Tigers rallied together and worked well as a team to get the victory. The Tigers goalkeeper, senior Todd Whittaker, totalled two saves during the game, effectively preventing Hardin-Simmons from moving ahead.
Much like the women’s team, the men have a habit for winning season openers, winning five within the last six years. The men are currently seeded at No. 5 in the Division III rankings based on their strong finish at the NCAA Quarterfinals last season. After winning both their preseason scrimmage against St. Mary’s and their season opener, they are looking strong, thus far meeting their fans’ expectations.
The men’s team is scheduled to face Hardin-Simmons again at home this Friday, Sept. 9 at 8 p.m., followed by another game this Saturday, Sept. 10 against University of Texas at Dallas at 7 p.m.
