It was another perfect four-win weekend at McGinlay Field, with the men’s and women’s soccer teams coming away with two wins out of two. Both programs from Texas Lutheran University (TLU) and Southwestern University made the trip for two Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) doubleheaders, and Trinity University outscored its opponents by a combined 12-3.
Friday’s games started with a men’s match between undefeated TLU and Trinity. TLU came into the game with a strong defensive record, having only allowed three goals all season. Trinity managed one goal in the first half’s tactical battle. Senior midfielder Louis Instrall scored the goal, receiving the ball from sophomore defender Luke Mayfield who found it near the end line after it had been pinballing around in the corner of the field.
TLU leveled the game quickly during the second half with a diving header before taking a 2-1 lead with just 16 minutes left. Trinity had more of the possession and more of the chances, but TLU’s defense limited Trinity’s offensive efficiency. With time winding down, TLU dropped their players back to enhance their organized backline.
As time winded down, Trinity threw more players forward, but TLU defenders and the flying goalkeeper blocked shot after shot. With just under three minutes left on the clock, however, senior defender Will Powell redirected sophomore midfielder Jason Sukow’s cross into the box, up and over the keeper’s outstretched arm and into the far side netting to tie the game up at 2-2.
Trinity had their moment, a last-gasp equalizer to secure a point. With under a minute left, Trinity launched one more attack — a free kick from their half into the box. TLU failed to clear it as it bounced around before landing on the right foot of junior defender Luke Chandler.
“Don’t miss. I was just thinking to hit it as hard as I can and make sure it goes on frame,” Chandler said.
Trinity had turned the game on its head in the final two and a half minutes, turning no points into three with a 3-2 victory and keeping their undefeated season intact.
“Just when you think you’ve seen everything the game throws that at us,” Paul McGinlay, head coach of Trinity University men’s soccer, said after the game. “So proud of the way our team played, really.”
The women’s team had less drama in their match against TLU, with senior Michaela Bosco scoring a goal and assisting another to give Trinity a 2-0 first-half lead which they would never relinquish.
“We work really hard playing off of each other to put those connection pieces up top,” Bosco said. “I think being able to assist my teammates, there’s always an element of pride to that.”
The Tigers made use of Bosco’s contribution, holding on to her two goals to grit out a 2-0 win at home. The Tigers have yet to allow a goal at home this season, something Dylan Harrison, head coach of Trinity women’s soccer, expressed pride in.
“We talk about defending all the way up the pitch. The intensity from the forwards as they’re defending is contagious, and it just trickles down,” Harrison said. “We’re even having to ask a lot of some first-years, and they’re stepping up.”
On Oct.13, men’s soccer went down 1-0 early to Southwestern. Southwestern had played on McGinlay Field four times before the game began, and the Pirates took advantage of this experience as the game began.
However, Adam Knutson took the lead with two goals to give Trinity the 2-1 win. Knutson first came from what looked like a cross that whipped into the far top corner. His second winning ball danced through the Pirate ship before sinking the shot and kissing the Tiger Network camera in celebration.
The women once again beat Southwestern but in a more convincing fashion: five goals to none. Senior forward Abby Schneider grabbed a brace while junior midfielder Clara Richards, junior forward Hanna Khan and sophomore forward Madisyn Barganski contributed to the score sheet as well.
Both teams go on the road this weekend as they take on the University of Dallas on Oct. 18 and Austin College on Oct. 20. Women’s soccer will return home on Oct. 22 against Schreiner before both teams face the University of the Ozarks on Nov. 1.
