Livonia, Mich. — While Wednesday afternoon's match-up between Aquinas and Madonna was firmly under the microscope within the WHAC and across the NAIA, it also carried the feel of something bigger — the opening chapter of what could become a must-watch series.
Like a great mini-series on Netflix, this was just episode one.
With both teams ranked among the nation's elite — #1 Madonna and #3 Aquinas — the Saints stepped into a hostile environment knowing full well this would not be the last time these two programs collide this season. And while the result didn't fall their way this time, Aquinas showed throughout that the gap between the two powers is razor thin.
#1 Madonna 14, #3 Aquinas 11
The Crusaders struck first and fast, using a flurry of early offense to build momentum, but Aquinas answered every challenge and never allowed the game to get out of reach.
After Madonna opened the scoring, senior standout TJ Murphy wasted little time responding, finding the back of the net just seconds later to even the score. The Saints continued to battle early, with Oliver Modderman, Murphy, and Ian Wright all contributing first-quarter goals, helping Aquinas stay within striking distance despite an 8-4 deficit after one.
Madonna's early surge was fueled by volume, outshooting the Saints and capitalizing on possessions, but Aquinas showed resilience — a theme that would carry throughout the afternoon.
In the second quarter, the Saints began to settle in. Braeden Williams and Ben Cash delivered back-to-back goals to trim the margin to 9-6, showcasing AQ's ability to generate offense in key moments. Defensively, goalkeeper Austin Hynote came up with several critical saves to keep the Saints within reach as the Crusaders tried to extend their lead.
Coming out of halftime, Aquinas continued to press. Murphy struck again early in the third quarter — his third of the day — cutting the deficit to 10-7 and injecting life into the Saints' sideline.
Madonna responded, but AQ never blinked.
Trailing 13-7 entering the fourth quarter, the Saints mounted their strongest push of the afternoon. Murphy added his fourth goal of the contest, continuing a dominant offensive performance, while Modderman converted on a man-up opportunity off a Williams assist to bring AQ closer.
Then came the surge.
Collin Wildman scored twice in the final minutes — including a connection from Murphy — as the Saints pulled within two goals at 13-11 with under three minutes to play. The late rally forced pressure back onto the nation's top-ranked team and showcased Aquinas' ability to compete at the highest level.
Despite the push, Madonna was able to add a late goal to seal the 14-11 decision.
Murphy led the Saints with four goals and an assist, while Modderman and Wildman each added two goals. Wright contributed a goal and two assists, and Williams chipped in a goal and an assist in a balanced offensive effort.
While the result counts as a loss, the performance made one thing clear — this epic battle is far from over.
Following the loss, Aquinas drops to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in WHAC play, while Madonna improves to 7-1, 3-0 in conference play.
Saints Snapshots
• Heavyweight Battle: The top-3 showdown lived up to the billing, with both teams trading runs and showcasing why they sit among the NAIA's elite.
• Murphy's Moment: TJ Murphy paced the Saints with four goals and an assist, delivering in big moments throughout the game.
• Fourth Quarter Fight: Aquinas erased a six-goal deficit down to two in the final frame, showing grit and belief until the final minutes.
• Balanced Scoring: Six different Saints found the back of the net, highlighting AQ's depth and offensive versatility.
• Special Teams Impact: The Saints capitalized on a key man-up opportunity during their late push.
• More to Come: With at least one more regular season meeting — and potentially more — this matchup is just getting started.
Coach's Comments
After the game, Head Coach Peter Treppa was philosophical about the result:
"We always want to win games like this, especially against a team of that caliber, but this time of year you can't get too high or too low," Treppa said. "We know there's a strong possibility we'll see them again — maybe more than once — so the focus is on learning from this, continuing to grow, and being ready when the next opportunity comes."
Up Next
Aquinas will have little time to lick their wounds following the loss to Madonna. The Saints will hit the road again Saturday, traveling to Upland, Indiana to take on Taylor. Opening faceoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, streaming links, and full postgame coverage of AQ Men's Lacrosse and all Saints sports.
