Adrian, Mich. — The Aquinas men's soccer team showed grit, character, and heart in Wednesday's clash at Siena Heights, rallying from a 3–1 halftime deficit to earn a 3–3 draw in a battle that lived up to its billing. After a tough opening 45 minutes, the Saints of Aquinas regrouped, refocused, and stormed back with two unanswered goals in the second half to steal a hard-fought point on the road. It was a spirited affair that tested every ounce of their resilience—and when two groups of Saints collide, you can bet halos were flying.

Aquinas 3, Siena Heights 3

Aquinas struck first just four minutes in when Trae Collins found the back of the net off a setup from Fikret Hasovic. However, Siena Heights answered with three straight goals before the break, sending the Saints into halftime facing a 3–1 hole. That's when the rally began. In the 49th minute, freshman Chase Jacobs Gries buried a penalty kick to make it 3–2, his first career goal in the maroon and white. Just under 20 minutes later, Evan Goodfellow finished a beautiful feed from Bryce Schaner to bring things level at 3–3. Hasovic continued to create chances, firing five shots (three on goal), while Collins and Goodfellow each tallied three shots on target. Goalkeeper Peyton Huffman steadied the defense with a pair of key second-half stops. When the final whistle blew, Aquinas had outshot Siena Heights 21–6, controlling play for most of the final 45 minutes. The draw moves Aquinas to 2–7–3 overall and 1–5–2 in WHAC play, while Siena Heights stands at 4–6–4 and 3–3–2 in conference.

By the Numbers

     • 21 – Total shots by the Saints, including 15 in the second half.
     • 9 – Saves by Siena Heights' keeper, showing AQ's offensive pressure.
     • 2 – Assists for Aquinas, one each from Hasovic and Schaner.
     • 1 – Gritty comeback point earned on the road.

Coach's Comments

Head Coach Luke Ruff praised his team's determination and response:

"I'm really proud of how our guys battled back tonight. Going down 3–1 on the road can sting, but they refused to quit. We talked at halftime about staying composed, trusting our buildup, and believing we could get back in it—and that's exactly what they did. Of course, we always want the 'W', but getting tie after that kind of fight says a lot about our team's heart. Now we have to build on it and keep improving."

Up Next

The Saints return home for the second half of a soccer doubleheader on Saturday, with the Aquinas women hosting Indiana Tech at noon and the men following at 3:00 PM against the Warriors. Both matches will be streamed live on the AQ Saints YouTube Network (no audio). For scores, schedules, and updates, visit AQSaints.com.