Box Score Grand Rapids, MI – The Aquinas men's soccer team couldn't generate any offense on Saturday afternoon and suffered a 1-0 Homecoming loss to 20th-ranked Madonna in the WHAC opener for both teams.
Madonna 1, Aquinas 0
It was a frustrating day for the Saints against a stingy Madonna defense that stifled their offensive attack.
Aquinas failed to record any shots, while committing 14 fouls and receiving several yellow cards.
In all, the Saints were issued 11 yellow cards and one red card.
Aquinas' defense kept it in the game against the unbeaten Crusaders and kept them off the scoreboard in the first half.
Madonna scored off a corner kick in the 58th minute for the only goal of the game.
Aquinas keeper Ivan Radovic kept his team in the game with seven stops
In the final minute, an apparent handball by Madonna in the box wasn't called.
Inside the Numbers
- The Saints were outshot 8-0.
- Aquinas received 11 yellow cards and one red card.
- Corners: Aquinas (3), Madonna (9)
- There were a combined 25 fouls called, including 14 on the Saints.
Coach's Comments
Head Coach Luke Ruff talked about this battle after the narrow loss: "Proud of the boys for their effort against a top-25 team. They fought until the very last minute to try and get something out of the game. Congratulations to Madonna on a well-deserved win."
Up Next
The Saints (1-3-1, 0-1 WHAC) travel to Cornerstone University on Wednesday at 7 p.m.in a WHAC matchup. Fans are encouraged to visit AQSaints.com throughout the weekend for live stats, stories, and recaps.
NOTE: Dean Holzwarth, serving as the Senior AQSaints Athletics Reporter & Content Specialist for AQSaints.com, brings decades of journalistic precision and storytelling flair to the Saints' media efforts. Previously, he covered high school sports for five years at Grand Rapids–based WOOD-TV, following a 16-year tenure in sports reporting with the Grand Rapids Press and MLive. His deep experience in capturing the heartbeat of local athletics now fuels his engaging coverage of Aquinas College sports.
Final Thoughts from Joey's (Joey Sutherlin) Wacky World of AQ Sports
It may be my first homecoming at Aquinas, but no one could feel more at home than I have this entire week. Words can't fully capture how incredible it is to work at AQ, where I get to make an impact on the lives of our amazing student-athletes and collaborate with such remarkable faculty and staff. I'm blessed beyond measure and enjoying every second of every event and activity.
I also want to give a special shout-out to our new hockey PA announcer, Thomas Kring. Credit goes to Coach Brandon Rozema for what might be the "find of the year." Thomas stepped into the soccer doubleheader like a seasoned veteran, showing off both his talent and professionalism—and he's only a freshman! On top of that, he's an exceptional person.
So please join me in giving Thomas a warm welcome to the AQ Athletics family. Thomas, you're already a part of the reason it's truly a great time to be a Saint!
