Riding a 1-1 record following two eventful games to kick off their 2025 campaign, the Holy Cross men’s soccer team aims to leap past .500 as they host out-of-conference foes Oakland City at noon on Saturday.
The Saints opened their season on Aug. 27 against Madonna, falling 3-2 in what was an instant classic. Sophomore center back Cesar Vela scored to open up the Saints’ account in the 38th minute off of a feed from forward Eric Johnson. Less than a minute later, sophomore fullback Nathan Sanchez found the sharp-shooting Vela who slotted it away once again.
However, Madonna wasted no time responding. The Crusaders’ Daniel Watkins scored another quick brace to close out the first half. Madonna eventually found the back of the net once more in the second half to seal the deal.
Holy Cross responded with a dominant 2-0 victory on the road against Huntington. Freshman Daniel Alfaro made a triumphant introduction to the college game, registering a first-half brace in only his second career match. A strong 6-foot-2 forward from Arlington Heights, Ill., Alfaro is exactly what the Saints were looking for after losing several star-studded goal scorers to graduation.
Alfaro wasn’t the only player to star against Huntington. Senior goalkeeper Isaias Rubio made five saves en route and was named the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s (CCAC) Defensive Player of the Week.
Alfaro will be the man the Saints rely on once more as they face Oakland City. After starting the season 0-3, the Mighty Oaks picked up their first win of the year against Hannibal-LaGrange University on Tuesday. Although their start to the season has not been glamorous, Oakland City only lost 1-0 against Judson – a typical powerhouse in the CCAC.
The Saints and Mighty Oaks don’t have an extensive history, having played each other only once. That match came last season as Holy Cross cruised to a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Juan Perez and Vela.
Led by head coach Omar Gallo, Holy Cross has a great opportunity to register an important non-conference win before their season begins to ramp up. The Saints play a total of eight games through September, including against nearby Bethel University and Grace College.
Even with the unforgiving schedule ahead, Holy Cross is in a good position to compete for the CCAC championship, especially with the rise of Alfaro. If the Saints are able to find more contributors, especially on the offensive side of the ball, big things are on the horizon for Gallo’s team. But for now, all eyes are fixated on the job at hand.
Admission for the game on Saturday is free. Streaming can be found on hcsaints.com.
