Grand Rapids, Mich. — Winning teams do not make excuses; they make plans to improve and then put in the work to make those plans reality. Even when things appear to be pointing in the right direction, they keep looking in the mirror for areas to sharpen. That has long been the creed of Head Coach Peter Treppa. His team can be up twenty goals and he is still coaching every possession. They may not win every game, but they will always be prepared for every game. Wednesday night on the AQ Athletic Field, the Saints welcomed the Wolverines of the University of Michigan-Dearborn and delivered a night full of highlights — along with plenty of teaching moments the coaching staff will use as the season moves forward.
Aquinas 19, UM-Dearborn 9
The third-ranked Saints wasted little time asserting themselves, exploding for seven first-quarter goals to take early command of the contest. TJ Murphy opened the scoring on a man-up opportunity with an assist from Collin Wildman, setting the tone for an offensive barrage.
Mitchell Pridgeon followed shortly after with a goal off a feed from Oliver Modderman before Brandon Klingelsmith found the back of the net unassisted. Wildman then scored his first of the night, and Braeden Williams added another man-up goal off a pass from Murphy to stretch the lead to 5–0.
Michigan-Dearborn managed to break through midway through the quarter, but the Saints quickly responded. Ian Wright scored off an assist from Pridgeon, and Wildman added another late in the quarter to give Aquinas a 7–2 advantage after the opening frame.
The Saints continued to press in the second quarter as Modderman scored unassisted before Ben Cash and William Larriuz delivered back-to-back goals to extend the lead to 10–4. Pridgeon added another tally later in the quarter, and in a wild final second before halftime, Murphy and Wildman each found the back of the net to send Aquinas into the break with a commanding 13–5 lead.
Michigan-Dearborn attempted to claw its way back in the third quarter, scoring several times to cut into the margin, but Aquinas consistently answered. Murphy converted another man-up opportunity early in the period, while Larriuz added his second goal of the evening to keep the Saints firmly in control.
The Saints sealed the victory with a strong fourth-quarter push. Wright and Klingelsmith each scored their second goals of the night before Oliver Modderman added a man-up tally. Wildman capped the evening with his fourth goal in the closing minutes to secure the 19–9 win.
Wildman led the Saints attack with four goals and two assists, while Murphy added three goals and an assist. Modderman finished with two goals and two assists, and Pridgeon contributed two goals and an assist.
Klingelsmith, Wright and Larriuz each added two goals apiece, while Williams and Cash also scored as the Saints showcased their offensive depth with nine different goal scorers.
Defensively, Austin Hynote recorded five saves while the Aquinas defense controlled possession throughout the evening. The Saints dominated the stat sheet, outshooting the Wolverines 63–17, winning 24 faceoffs, and collecting 59 ground balls.
With the victory, Aquinas improves to 5–0 on the season and 1–0 in WHAC play. The Saints entered the week ranked #3 in the NAIA and have backed up that ranking with an explosive start to the season. Through five games, AQ is averaging 20.2 goals per game with wins over Columbia (MO), Cumberlands (KY), William Woods (MO), Missouri Baptist, and now Michigan-Dearborn.
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Saints Snapshots
• Fast Start — Aquinas erupted for seven goals in the opening quarter to seize early control of the game.
• Wildman's Night — Collin Wildman paced the Saints offense with four goals and two assists.
• Balanced Attack — Nine different Saints scored in the victory, showcasing the depth of the AQ offense.
• Possession Control — The Saints dominated the stat sheet with a 63–17 advantage in shots and a 24–6 edge in faceoffs.
• Perfect Start — With the win, Aquinas improves to 5–0 on the season and opens WHAC play with a victory.
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Coach's Comments
Never one to dwell on a win, Head Coach Peter Treppa was already focused on the areas the team must improve before its next major test.
"We did a lot of good things tonight, especially early, but there were stretches where our focus slipped a bit," Treppa said. "When you're building toward the goals this team has, you can't be satisfied with just the final score. We'll watch the film, clean up the details, and make sure we're sharper the next time out. The guys understand what kind of challenge is waiting for us next week."
Up Next
Next up for the Saints is a match-up of EPIC proportions. In what could be the first of several heavyweight battles this season, Aquinas will travel to Livonia to challenge the newly minted #1 team in the NAIA, the Crusaders of Madonna. The game is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. start on Wednesday, March 18.
The #3 AQ Saints at the #1 Madonna Crusaders — I'm giddy already.
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