Grand Rapids, Mich. — Sometimes you have a game where you look great in stretches and other moments where you look like a first-year player. Unfortunately for the Saints, despite several flashes of brilliance and strong effort throughout Monday afternoon's make-up contest with UM-Dearborn, a few untimely mental miscues erased the positives and resulted in a hard-fought draw against the Wolverines.

Aquinas 2, UM-Dearborn 2

The Saints came out firing early, striking first in the 10th minute when Carter Hagan buried a shot off a well-timed assist from Eddie Hudson III. Just minutes later, Gerardo Jose Montanez added another tally, finishing a sharp feed from Fikret Hasovic to put Aquinas up 2–1 at halftime. Dario Cela stood tall in goal with four saves, while Hudson, Timothy Phillips Jr., and Owen Dibling anchored a disciplined back line. Offensively, Evan Goodfellow created chances with four shots, and Carson Tucker added quality minutes off the bench to sustain pressure in the attacking third. However, a late goal from the Wolverines in the 81st minute spoiled what had been a strong overall outing for Aquinas.

The Saints finished with 20 shots to UM-Dearborn's 11, including an 8–3 edge in corner kicks, controlling possession for much of the match. With the result, Aquinas moves to 2-7-2 overall and 1-5-1 in WHAC play, while UM-Dearborn sits at 1-8-3 overall and 0-6-2 in the conference.

Inside the Numbers

     • 20 total shots for the Saints, including 6 on goal
     • 8 corner kicks earned by Aquinas, compared to 3 for UM-Dearborn
     • Goals from Hagan and Montañez, with assists by Hudson and Hasovic
     • 4 saves from goalkeeper Dario Cela

Coach's Comments

Following the Monday matinee, Head Coach Luke Ruff reflected on his team's play, saying:

"There's a lot of good in how we're playing — we move the ball well, create chances, and compete every match. But the timing of our mistakes has really hurt us this season. It's not about effort; it's about focus in those critical moments. Once we learn to close out games and manage those situations better, we'll start turning these results into wins."

Up Next

Aquinas will look to rebound when they head to Adrian, Michigan, to take on WHAC foe Siena Heights on Wednesday. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM. Fans can stay updated with live stats, stories, and recaps all season long at AQSaints.com.