Mason Sills 11.9.24
3
Winner Aquinas (MI) AQUINAS (14-4-1, 8-3-1)
0
Madonna MADONNA (14-2-4, 10-0-2)
Winner
Aquinas (MI) AQUINAS
(14-4-1, 8-3-1)
3
Final
0
Madonna MADONNA
(14-2-4, 10-0-2)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Aquinas (MI) AQUINAS 2 1 3
Madonna MADONNA 0 0 0

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Cam Harper, Director of Athletic Communications

Saints Keep Nationals Hopes Alive With Upset Win in WHAC Semifinals

Aquinas pulls off incredible 3-0 upset against Madonna with eyes on the conference title.

Livonia, Mich. – With an automatic bid to nationals on the line, the (RV) Aquinas men's soccer team traveled to Madonna to take on the top-seeded Crusaders. The No. 18-ranked Madonna side finished the regular season as the top team in the WHAC with an impressive 13-1-4 record. The favored Madonna side was looking for a chance at its first WHAC Tournament title since 2011, while the Saints had eyes on an upset to keep their national tournament hopes alive.

In an unexpected turn of events, the Saints pulled off a massive 3-0 upset over the Crusaders to keep their national tournament hopes alive. The game advances the Saints into the WHAC Tournament final against the winner of the Indiana Tech and Lourdes game and a chance at their first WHAC Tournament title since 2012.

(RV) Aquinas 3, #18 Madonna 0

Aquinas took a physical approach to the game both offensively and physically, looking to take an early advantage. The Saints held off several Madonna shots and corners as the backline only allowed one shot on target through the first half.

In the 36th minute, AQ was awarded a corner, putting the Saints' deadball specialist Yussef Hakmaoui on the corner. Hakmaoui whipped the ball into the box and found Joshua Clemitson on the receiving end for the first goal of the game. The monumental goal gave Aquinas the lead and put Hakmaoui into the record books. The assist was his 13th of the season, giving the senior the most assists in a single season in Aquinas history.

Following that goal, there was a bit of back-and-forth over the ensuing nine minutes. With less than two minutes remaining on the clock, Ricardo Rittersberger beat the defender to advance toward the baseline on the left side. He swiftly passed the ball across the box, finding Mason Sills on the receiving end to claim a 2-0 lead heading into the second half.

With the Crusaders reeling, Aquinas struck once more early in the second half. Hakmaoui sent a beautiful ball over the top and found Sills on the receiving end. Sills struck the ball far post and tucked the ball into the net for a commanding 3-0 lead, leaving the home crowd shocked.

AQ's defense kept Madonna in check for the remaining 35 minutes, allowing just one more shot on net before the final whistle secured AQ a spot in the conference tournament finale.

By the Numbers
  • Hakmaoui is now AQ's all-time single-season assist leader with 14 assists this season. He also stands alone at the top of the NAIA for assists in the 2024 campaign.
  • Sills' brace was his first time scoring multiple goals in a game since his hat trick at Concordia back in 2022.
  • After holding Madonna scoreless, Ivan Radovic picked up his sixth clean sheet of the season. The AQ backline earned their ninth of the year.
  • This was AQ's first win against the Crusaders since the 2021 season.

Up Next

Aquinas will travel to the winner of the Indiana Tech and Lourdes game next Wednesday (Nov. 13) to play for the conference championship and an automatic bid to nationals. 
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