Holy Cross men’s soccer is set to travel to Indiana Northwest Wednesday night for a heated Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) matchup. The Saints, 3-4 on the season, hope to return to winning ways following a 3-0 loss to Grace on Saturday.
Holy Cross’ attack will be led by sophomore winger Kai Lulic. The crafty No. 11 has caused havoc for every defense he has stepped in front of this season while his nifty footwork has added an element of flair to the Saints’ offensive approach. Lulic will be complemented by fellow sophomore winger Diego Blount and sophomore forward Eric Johnson.
While Blount has yet to tally a point, his role in all areas of the pitch has proven pivotal to head coach Omar Gallo’s team. Equally important has been the play of Johnson. A physical force out wide, his role off the bench provides the Saints with a much-needed spark.
Uncertain will be the appearance of freshman left winger Daniel Alfaro. The 6-foot-2-inch attacker netted three goals through the first four games of his collegiate career, however hasn’t appeared in the past two games. In his last appearance against Rochester Christian, Alfaro only registered 22 minutes. If the Saints are to regain the presence of Alfaro, their chances to pick up a vital three points in conference play will be bolstered.
The Saints square off against a 1-7 Indiana Northwest side. Their struggles have not been due to a lack of goalscoring production. In their seven losses, the Redhawks have failed to score only two times. Regardless, issues with their backline have resulted in a plethora of 1-2 losses.
The Redhawks don’t have a true No. 1 attacker, but sophomore forward Cesar Lopez has certainly impressed. With 396 minutes played, Lopez leads all attackers in the time-played department. Meanwhile, senior forward Dom Bixeman scored three goals through the first four games of the season. However, similar to Alfaro, he has not appeared for the Redhawks since early September. It remains unclear whether he will be on the pitch on Wednesday.
Holy Cross and Indiana Northwest last played to a 1-1 draw one year ago. Juan Perez scored the Saints’ lone goal. Kyle Scott netted for the Redhawks as Bixeman provided the assist. The year prior, the Saints were victorious 2-0.
A win for the Saints will supply a much-needed boost as they enter a tough phase of the season. Once October hits, Holy Cross enters the gauntlet of CCAC play as they face up against the likes of Governors State, Trinity Christian and Judson.
Streaming for the 8:30 p.m. match can be found on Indiana Northwest’s athletic website.
