On Wednesday, Holy Cross men’s soccer played its first game within the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) as it hosted the Indiana Northwest Redhawks. Holy Cross entered the matchup with a 3-4 record after falling to Grace a few nights before. Meanwhile, Indiana Northwest arrived with a record of just one win against eight losses. In addition to the conference standing implications of the contest, it served as an opportunity for the Saints to get back to an even record.
Neither offense was able to find a groove in the first half. Holy Cross lacked offensive firepower early, with only two shots in the first 45 minutes. Indiana Northwest’s senior goalkeeper Devun Collins played a crucial part in keeping the Saints out of the net with two saves in the first period. On the other side of the field, Holy Cross was able to hold the Redhawks scoreless with the help of its own senior goalkeeper, Isaias Rubio, who anchored the Saints' defense with three goalie saves and one defensive save in the half. The senior has been elite on the defensive end for Holy Cross, with only two goals allowed this year.
Early in the second half, the defenses were again the main storyline, with Collins acquiring another save for his team. Eventually, junior Diego Martinez found freshman Daniel Alfaro, who in turn found the back of the net. Alfaro, who was playing in his first game back after suffering an injury earlier in the season against Rochester Christian, picked up the fourth goal of his freshman season to put the Saints up 1-0. This would ultimately be the game-winning goal, as the Redhawks’ offense would be unable to capitalize on its possessions for the remainder of the match.
The Saints were outshot 11-9 and accumulated more fouls than Indiana Northwest. Despite this, a strong defensive performance and the lone goal from Alfaro pushed them past the Redhawks and to 1-0 in conference play. Holy Cross is now one of six teams left undefeated in the CCAC and will look to build upon this start throughout the remainder of the season.
Holy Cross will now turn its sights to its next game when it hosts Calumet on Sept. 27. Calumet is currently 0-8 on the season and 0-1 in conference play. The Crimson Wave have been outscored 47-4 so far this season and are searching for their first victory. The match will give the Saints the opportunity to move to 2-0 within the conference and establish themselves as a contender in the CCAC. Holy Cross is also looking for a victory to attain a winning record for the first time since they were 2-1 earlier this year.
The Calumet offense has been a committee effort, with each goal coming from a different player. They are led by first-year head coach Shane Cloutier, who is taking on his first collegiate job with the program. Cloutier inherited the program in a difficult spot. The team’s losing streak extends beyond just this year. It went 0-11 last season, and the most recent victory came in the first game of the 2023 season. He will be aiming for a win to get his team back on track and to stay competitive in the conference.
