The Holy Cross men's soccer team came into their 2024 campaign not exactly sure what to expect. Led by senior captain Martin Von Thun, the Saints were predicted by most to finish mid-table in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC). Despite a rocky start, head coach Omar Gallo’s squad exceeded all expectations, reaching the conference semifinals largely thanks to their stout defense.
The Saints struggled to find their rhythm early in the year. By the time their match against Lourdes on Sept. 7 rolled around, the team sat at 1-3-1. Primarily starting underclassmen, their inexperience on the pitch was visible. However, Gallo stuck with his young squad, and it paid off.
The Saints notched two consecutive wins against Lourdes and Oakland City. Though they didn’t win again until Oct. 12, they were able to draw against St. Francis (IL), Indiana Northwest and Viterbo. It was in the middle of October when the Saints won back-to-back games yet again, scoring a combined 10 goals in victories over St. Ambrose (IA) and Calumet (IN).
Holy Cross ended its regular season 5-7-6. Led by a youthful core of players, Gallo’s team featured regular freshman starters in Cesar Vela, Diego Blount, Aidan Medina and Nathan Sanchez. Sanchez dished out a team-high six assists and was eventually honored as second-team all-conference.
Sanchez was joined in the honor alongside Von Thun. A four-year starter, Von Thun became one of the best players in Saints history during his career. The pivotal moment in his career came in the CCAC playoffs this season.
As the No. 7 seed, the Saints squared off against the No. 2-seeded Judson (IL) Eagles. After a stalemate first 45, Von Thun was able to capitalize on a loose ball in the 18-yard box to finish off the lone goal of the game early in the second half. The goal was Von Thun’s lone strike of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
“That’s the first goal I scored that really matters in my four years here,” Von Thun reminisced jokingly. “I usually just score when we’re already up by two or three, so it was nice to score a goal that actually makes us advance to another game. That was special.”
In the semifinals, Holy Cross fell short 1-0 in a heartbreaker against Trinity Christian (IL). A 40th-minute red card to senior Isa Sayeed put the Saints down a man for over half the game. Eventually, the opposition took advantage, ending the Saints’ underdog run.
Von Thun is one of seven seniors graduating this spring. Gallo will have his work cut out for him in the fall as he looks to replace leading scorers Juan Perez and Isaac Filippo, both of whom are graduating. But if the 2024 fall season taught him one thing, it was that trusting the youth pays dividends. Holy Cross will seek to expand upon their success as they aim to reach their first CCAC Championship appearance in over a decade.
