Alma, Mich. – A quick start from Alma, a physical battle throughout 90 minutes and a second-half push from the Fighting Scots tested the Aquinas men's soccer team Friday night.

In the end, the Saints answered every challenge.

Stepping away from conference play, Aquinas traveled to Alma for its first meeting with the Fighting Scots since 2023, when the Saints cruised to a 7-0 victory. This time around, the result was closer, but the outcome remained the same as Aquinas battled its way to a 3-1 win.

Aquinas 3, Alma 1

The Fighting Scots wasted no time putting pressure on the Saints. Alma fired off two shots in the opening minutes, forcing Peyton Huffman into an early save. Another Alma attempt sailed wide in the 11th minute, giving the Saints a chance to settle into the match.

Aquinas slowly began to find its rhythm.

In the 16th minute, Fikret Hasovic recorded the Saints' first shot of the night, but the Alma defense stood in the way. Aquinas continued knocking on the door, earning back-to-back corner kicks later in the half but coming up empty on both opportunities.

Then, in the 27th minute, the breakthrough finally came.

Jareth Balcaraz-Alvarado fired a shot that the Alma goalkeeper managed to stop, but the ball fell right back to the Saints. Balcazar-Alvarado didn't hesitate. He collected the rebound and buried it into the back of the net, giving Aquinas its first lead of the night. Hasovic picked up the assist.

Six minutes later, the Saints struck again.

This time, Balcaraz-Alvarado returned the favor, setting up Hasovic for a finish that doubled the Aquinas advantage. After a back-and-forth opening half, the Saints headed into the locker room with a 2-0 lead.

But Alma wasn't going away quietly.

The Fighting Scots came out of halftime with renewed energy and found the back of the net in the 46th minute, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Just 40 seconds later, Alma had another opportunity, but Huffman came up with the save to keep the Saints in front.

From there, the match became a battle.

The physical play intensified, with yellow cards beginning to pile up on both sides. Aquinas continued to fight for control, and eventually earned a major opportunity when a foul inside the box awarded the Saints a penalty kick.

Hasovic stepped to the spot.

He calmly converted, recording his second goal of the night and restoring Aquinas' two-goal cushion.

As the minutes continued to tick away, Alma searched for another opening, while the Saints looked to put the match away. Marcos Real and Hasovic each added two more shots, but neither found the back of the net.

Alma earned a corner in the 68th minute, but the Saints' defense stood firm. Aquinas later earned two consecutive corners of its own, but the Fighting Scots managed to keep the Saints from adding to their lead.

The physical battle continued all the way to the final whistle, with two more cautions issued — one to each team.

When the clock finally hit zero, Aquinas had done enough.

The Saints walked away from Alma with a 3-1 victory, improving their winning streak against the Fighting Scots while earning their first win for Huffman in goal.

Saints Snapshot

• Huffman recorded his first win as a Saint.

• 22 players saw action for Aquinas.

• Seven yellow cards were issued between the two teams.

• Hasovic finished with two goals and one assist for five points.

• Balcaraz-Alvarado recorded one goal and one assist.

Coaches Comments 

Following the victory, Coach Luke Ruff reflected on a night where the Saints controlled the pace, created opportunities, and battled through a physical match to earn the 3-1 result. With more conference play waiting just around the corner, Ruff knows the Saints can use performances like this to continue building confidence as the season moves forward.

"Really pleased with the performance today. We controlled the game well, created good opportunities, and deserved the 3-1 result. It was a strong team performance, and now our focus shifts back to conference play and continuing to build momentum."

Up Next 

The Saints will have little time to celebrate Friday's victory, as they return to action tomorrow night at 6 p.m. when they welcome Defiance to AQ. The match will carry extra meaning for Aquinas as the Saints honor six seniors before kickoff, celebrating their contributions to the program and the impact they have made both on and off the field. With conference play back on the horizon, Aquinas will look to carry the momentum from its win over Alma into another important night at home.