Trinity men’s soccer opened their season on a high note this weekend, winning both games. The team scored three goals in each game, opening the season with offensive proficiency. Statistically, Trinity dominated in both games with more shots and higher times of possession than the other two teams. Both the Elmhurst and Pomona-Pitzer games were highly contested down to the last minute, but Trinity held on in each to pull six of six possible points out of this opening weekend.
Trinity’s season opened on Sept. 1 with an 8 p.m. kick-off at Paul McGinlay Field. Before the season even officially began, head coach Paul McGinlay surprised Tigers fans with multiple decisions about the starting lineup. McGinlay started two first-years — Luke Mayfield and Cameron Smith — and left out the top goalscorers from the last two seasons, Adam Knuttson and Michael Meese.
The match started quickly for Trinity, who scored just 15 minutes into the season opener. First-year Luke Mayfield volleyed home a loose ball off a corner kick that sent the Trinity bench wild as they celebrated the fast start to his Trinity career. Trinity maintained their one-goal advantage into halftime, as neither team was able to create much offensively after Mayfield’s opener.
Trinity came out fast in the second half, firing off multiple shots, including a header from Michael Meese that the Elmhurst defense cleared off the backline. Just minutes after Meese was denied, Elmhurst’s Alan Lopez tied up the game and deflated the Trinity fans. The game remained tied as the clock ticked under 10 minutes and a tie seemed imminent.
However, junior Hunter Cain launched a left-footed strike into the far-right side netting, sending the crowd into chaos as Cain ran to celebrate with the fans. Elmhurst needed to strike back to get any standing points out of the game, but Trinity controlled the ball well into the final minute. With only 40 seconds left, Trinity junior Louis Instrall confirmed the result with a well-placed finish into the top left corner from outside the 18-yard box.
Trinity seemed poised to take the winning momentum into their Sunday bout with Pomona-Pitzer, but it was the Californian side who came out quickly. Pomona’s Marvin Heilbronn found the ball outside the box and pounded it along the ground into the bottom left corner just 109 seconds in, giving them a 1-0 lead. Trinity immediately launched multiple attacks at Pomona’s backline, eventually leading to Michael Meese teeing one up for Adam Knuttson, who threaded the needle to find the equalizer in the 30th minute. Despite Trinity having 12 more shots than Pomona in the first half, the score was level at halftime.
Pomona opened the half strong once again, finding the back of the net in the 60th minute off a Trinity mistake. Minutes later, controversy struck as Trinity’s senior Chen Adjei went down off the ball, leading to a clash between both teams and eventually no decision from the referee. Later, more controversy arose when Trinity was given a questionable indirect freekick, leading to Michael Meese tying the score again. From that point on, it was all Trinity, as Adjei gave them the eventual winner just 47 seconds after Meese’s equalizer.
In each game, Trinity held strong late to maintain their advantages, already proving massive improvement from last year, when Trinity gave up eight goals in the last 15 minutes of games. Trinity had a great start on their quest to return to the national tournament after missing out last year. Their next test is against the University of Texas at Dallas at home on Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m.
