Joliet, Ill. – Aquinas entered Saturday having experienced both sides of a 1-0 decision, and after sacrificing part of its holiday weekend for a trip to Joliet, the Saints hoped to make the ride home an enjoyable one. Instead, the Maroon and White learned again just how cruel soccer can be. AQ defended, battled, and created enough opportunities to win—rattling the post twice, earning nine corner kicks, and putting 12 shots on goal—but the one thing the Saints could not find was the back of the net. One St. Francis chance became one Fighting Saints goal, sending Aquinas home with a second straight 1-0 loss despite controlling much of the match.
St. Francis 1, Aquinas 0
Aquinas wasted little time creating pressure, nearly breaking through when Maurice Chandler rattled the post in the 19th minute. Evan Goodfellow followed with a pair of shots on goal over the next three minutes, but St. Francis goalkeeper Logan LaFrance turned away both attempts. Joseph Farhat had two shots blocked later in the half, while Carter Hagan also sent an attempt over the crossbar. On the opposite end, Ivan Radovic made two first-half saves as Chandler, Farhat, Brian Mosqueda and Miguel Gonzalez helped hold the Fighting Saints to only three shots and no corner kicks before halftime.
The Maroon and White took complete control after the break, producing 20 shots and six corner kicks over the final 45 minutes. Adam Flanders forced LaFrance into four saves during a 15-minute stretch, while Goodfellow continued to apply pressure with several dangerous chances. Goodfellow appeared inches away from finally giving AQ the lead in the 74th minute, but his header struck the post. Less than two minutes later, St. Francis delivered the game's lone goal when Benisio Gamino finished a chance created by Jack Browne at 75:29.
Aquinas refused to go quietly and continued sending numbers forward over the final 14 minutes. Flanders had another attempt blocked before testing LaFrance again in the 83rd minute, while Chase Jacobs Gries sent a shot wide of the right post. Gonzalez put an attempt on frame at 84:17, and Goodfellow followed with another shot on goal less than a minute later. Marcos Real helped fuel the late push with his fourth corner kick of the match as the Saints searched desperately for the equalizer.
AQ's best chance arrived in the 88th minute when Goodfellow stepped to the penalty spot with an opportunity to erase the deficit. Goodfellow drove the penalty kick toward the left side, but LaFrance read it correctly and made his 12th and most important save of the night. Radovic answered with his fourth save in the closing minute to keep Aquinas within one, but the Saints were unable to manufacture one final opportunity before the whistle. Aquinas finished with commanding advantages of 26-8 in shots, 12-5 in shots on goal and 9-0 in corner kicks, but St. Francis escaped with the only number that mattered.
Aquinas falls to 1-2 overall, while St. Francis improves to 1-1-2.
Saints Snapshots
- Knocking on the Door: Aquinas struck the post twice, with Maurice Chandler finding the woodwork in the 19th minute and Evan Goodfellow doing the same in the 74th.
- Flipping the Field: The Saints dominated the second half with 20 shots, 10 attempts on goal and six corner kicks.
- Flanders on the Attack: Adam Flanders led AQ with seven shots and placed six on goal, repeatedly testing the St. Francis defense after halftime.
- Goodfellow Everywhere: Evan Goodfellow produced a match-high 10 shots, put five on frame and came within inches of scoring on multiple occasions.
- Defensive Foundation: Ivan Radovic recorded four saves, while the Aquinas defense limited St. Francis to eight total shots and did not surrender a single corner kick.
Coach's Comments
Following a second consecutive 1-0 loss, Aquinas Head Coach Luke Ruff praised his team's commitment and believes the Saints' work will soon begin producing better results.
"I'm proud of how our guys competed and continued battling all the way through the final whistle," Ruff said. "We created more than enough opportunities and defended well for most of the match, but soccer can be unforgiving when you don't finish those chances. There is a lot of talent in this group, and as we continue learning how to play together, I believe the goals and the wins will come."
Up Next
Following the heartbreaking loss, the Saints will enjoy the remainder of the holiday weekend before returning to the pitch to prepare for a full week of soccer.
Aquinas returns home Wednesday to host Goshen at the Aquinas College Athletic Field. The match is scheduled for a 6 p.m. start and will be streamed on the AQSaints YouTube channel, with Joey Sutherlin on the call.
Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live statistics, streaming links and complete postgame coverage of Aquinas men's soccer and all other Saints sports.
It's a great day to be a Saint.
