Livonia, Mich. -- You work, you sweat, you sacrifice and you hope the commitment brings its reward. For Coach Luke Ruff's Aquinas men's soccer team, Saturday's WHAC semifinal at Madonna was another opportunity to move closer to the goal that has driven the Saints since day one: reaching the NAIA national tournament. Trailing at halftime on the road, the Maroon and White answered with three second-half goals, earning a championship opportunity and another chapter in a journey they are determined to keep writing.
Aquinas 3, Madonna 1
AQ challenged early, with Adam Flanders and Trae Collins putting shots on target just five seconds apart in the ninth minute. Madonna struck first at 11:54, but the Saints continued creating chances rather than allowing the deficit to dictate their afternoon. Chase Jacobs Gries had a header saved at 23:24, and Marcos Real tested the goalkeeper again at 27:34. Fikret Hasovic and Evan Goodfellow also generated opportunities as Aquinas built a 9-3 first-half advantage in shots without finding the equalizer.
Then came a moment that would mean far more than one save on the final statistics sheet. With just 34 seconds remaining before halftime, Dario Cela stopped a Madonna penalty kick, keeping a potential two-goal deficit at one and sending the Saints into the break within striking distance. AQ resumed its pursuit immediately after halftime, with Goodfellow firing high and Collins having a header blocked before Hasovic and Flanders followed with attempts of their own. The breakthrough arrived at 55:59, when Hasovic connected with Collins for the equalizer, turning persistent pressure into a fresh start at 1-1.
Cela kept the match level with another save at 67:21 while Aquinas continued working toward the goal that would put the Saints in front. Flanders had a shot blocked at 71:13, and Hasovic forced a save eight seconds later as AQ kept testing Madonna's resistance. When a penalty-kick opportunity followed, Hasovic converted at 72:29, giving the Saints their first lead of the afternoon. After spending more than 43 minutes chasing the equalizer, Aquinas had turned the match around and put a place in the WHAC final within reach.
Protecting that opportunity required another important stop from Cela at 77:54 before Hasovic supplied the finishing touch. His unassisted goal at 79:56 pushed the advantage to 3-1, completing a second half in which he contributed to every Aquinas score. Maurice Chandler Jr., Joseph Farhat and Miguel Gonzalez each went the full 90 minutes, helping AQ hold Madonna scoreless after the break and limit the hosts to six shots overall. By the final whistle, the Saints had turned their work, sweat and sacrifice into a road victory and the opportunity to play for a championship.
Aquinas finished with a 19-6 advantage in shots and a 9-4 edge in shots on goal, backing its comeback with sustained pressure throughout the afternoon. The Saints improve to 11-6-2 overall, while Madonna concludes its season at 9-4-5. Wednesday's WHAC final will be played at Aquinas if Indiana Tech wins Saturday's other semifinal, while a Lawrence Tech victory would send AQ to Southfield. Wherever the championship takes them, the Saints will arrive with their national tournament goal still driving the journey.
Saints Snapshots
- A hand in every goal: Fikret Hasovic finished with two goals and an assist, setting up the equalizer, converting the winning penalty kick and adding the insurance goal. He led all players with seven shots, including four on target.
- The save that kept the door open: Dario Cela denied a penalty kick at 44:26 to keep Aquinas within one entering halftime. He finished with three saves, including two after the break.
- Persistence pays: Trae Collins scored the equalizer at 55:59 after having an earlier shot saved and two attempts blocked. He finished with four shots, including two on frame.
- Pressure from several directions: Adam Flanders added four shots, Evan Goodfellow contributed two, and Marcos Real and Chase Jacobs Gries each put their lone attempt on target. AQ outshot Madonna by six in the first half and seven in the second.
- Built over 90 minutes: Flanders, Maurice Chandler Jr., Joseph Farhat, Hasovic, Cela, Real, Jacobs Gries and Miguel Gonzalez each played the entire match. The Saints scored their three goals over a span of 23:57.
Coach's Comments
While excited about the road victory and his team's response, Coach Luke Ruff emphasized that the job is not complete. The Saints must now turn their attention to recovering, staying focused and preparing for Wednesday's championship opportunity.
"I'm proud of the way our guys stayed together and responded today. Going on the road, falling behind and finding a way to win takes belief in each other, and Dario's penalty save gave us a huge lift heading into halftime. We'll enjoy this win, but the job isn't complete. Our goal from day one has been to reach the national tournament, and now we need to recover, sharpen our focus and prepare for the opportunity in front of us Wednesday."
Up Next
Aquinas will play for the WHAC tournament championship on Wednesday, November 11, with the opponent and location determined by Saturday's semifinal between Lawrence Tech and Indiana Tech. A Warriors victory would bring Indiana Tech to Aquinas Athletic Field in Grand Rapids, while a Blue Devils victory would send the Saints to Southfield to battle LTU for the title.
If Aquinas hosts, the championship match will stream on the AQSaints YouTube Network. Stay tuned—no pun intended—for the matchup, location and kickoff time.
Keep checking AQSaints.com for updates, stories, features and statistics on Aquinas men's soccer and all Saints sports.
It's a great day to be a Saint!
