Kalamazoo, Mich. — It was fitting that the Aquinas men's soccer team took the field on Labor Day, because this matchup was exactly that — a day of hard work and reflection for the Saints. Despite controlling much of the contest and generating a flurry of scoring chances, AQ came up just short in a 1-0 road setback against Kalamazoo on Monday night (Sept. 1) at MacKenzie Field. Following the game, Aquinas slipped to 0-2-1 on the season while the Hornets improved to 2-0.

Kalamazoo 1, Aquinas 0

The decisive moment came in the 51st minute when Kalamazoo's Lucas Ruiz finished a chance in the box, breaking the scoreless deadlock. That lone goal held up as the winner, as Aquinas' relentless attack couldn't find the equalizer.

The Saints peppered the Hornets with 23 total shots — 16 of them coming in the second half — but only five were on target. Graduate forward Fikret Hasovic paced the offense with five attempts and a pair of shots on frame. Fellow forward Evan Goodfellow added five shots of his own, while midfielder Aidan Bennett contributed three attempts.

Freshman goalkeeper Ivan Radovic was sharp in net, recording five saves across 90 minutes to keep his side within striking distance. Kalamazoo managed 12 shots with six on goal, but only Ruiz's tally made it past Radovic.

Aquinas also dominated set pieces, holding an 11-0 advantage in corner kicks, which fueled consistent pressure in the Hornets' defensive third. However, Kalamazoo's goalkeeper Jackson Janderwski stood tall, making five saves to preserve the clean sheet.

Inside the Numbers
• Aquinas outshot Kalamazoo 23-12 overall.
• The Saints attempted 11 corner kicks, compared to zero for the Hornets.
• Radovic posted five saves in his third start of 2025 and his freshman campaign.
• Seven different AQ players registered at least one shot attempt.

Coach's Comments
Head coach Luke Ruff credited his squad's determination despite the result:
"We created plenty of opportunities, but sometimes the final touch just isn't there. The guys battled hard, kept the pressure on, and I'm proud of their effort against a very disciplined Kalamazoo side. Performances like this show we're moving in the right direction."

Up Next
The Saints have a full week of training before returning home on Saturday, Sept. 13, for an AQ Soccer doubleheader at the AQ Athletic Field. The women's team kicks off against Indiana Wesleyan at noon, followed by the men's contest against Taylor at 3:00 p.m. Visit aqsaints.com for full schedules, live stats, and postgame recaps.