Nathan Sanchez’s 89th-minute goal propelled Holy Cross men’s soccer to a crucial 1-0 win against Saint Francis on Tuesday. The Saints moved to 3-3, snapping a two-game skid thanks to the win.
In typical Saints fashion, the game was a chippy defensive battle. A staggering 10 yellow cards were issued throughout.
As the strong challenges poured in, so did the shots for Saint Francis. However, junior goalkeeper Isaias Rubio held his own between the sticks for Holy Cross, producing several outstanding saves. In total, Saint Francis registered 17 shots, seven of which were on target.
Rubio has been splitting time this season with sophomore goalkeeper Logan Kelly. Against No. 10 Bethel, Kelly notched 11 stops. The talented goalkeeping tandem has quickly cemented itself as one of the top units in the Chicagoland Athletic Conference (CCAC).
The breakthrough moment the Saints were longing for came in the final stages of the match as sophomore fullback Nathan Sanchez redirected the ball into the back of the net off of a set piece. Sanchez, who was named to the CCAC All-Conference Second Team after dishing out six assists, has been an integral part of head coach Omar Gallo’s tactical plans. The goal marks Sanchez’s first of his career.
Holy Cross now turns its attention to a non-conference fixture away at No. 22 Grace College this Saturday. The last time the two teams squared off was for a preseason friendly in 2022. In National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) regular-season play, they last met in 2018. Grace won handily, 3-0.
Six seasons of play have passed since then, and the Holy Cross program has only improved. Recently, with the likes of young talents such as Sanchez and fellow sophomores Diego Blount, Eric Johnson and Cesar Vela, the Saints have built one of the best young cores in program history. The sophomore class is paired with several star newcomers, most notably, forward Daniel Alfaro.
Alfaro, a menacing 6-foot-2 target, has scored three goals in four games, including a brace in his debut against Huntington.
As the Saints approach their clash against a top-25 Grace team, Alfaro will be at the centerpiece of Gallo’s attacking plans. His physical nature, coupled with an eye for the net, have skyrocketed Alfaro into one of the Saints’ key players, despite him being a freshman.
Grace College is off to a 5-1-2 start on the season – an impressive record made even more commendable given their strength of schedule.
The Lancers have faced No. 4 Cumberlands (Kentucky), No. 12 Indiana Tech and the formerly-ranked Rio Grande. They played Cumberlands and Rio Grande to 1-1 draws and beat Indiana Tech 1-0. They also lost 3-1 to No. 17 Cumberland (Tennessee) on a 24-hour rest from their draw to Rio Grande.
The Saints’ and the Lancers' only shared opponent thus far is Rochester Christian. Holy Cross lost 1-0 to the Warriors on Sept. 13, although they did outshoot them 22-9. Grace beat Rochester Christian 2-0 behind a brace from freshman defender Miguel Lourenco. Grace outshot the Warriors 35-2.
Holy Cross’ defense will need to play a low block to stop the immensely powerful Grace attack. If there is one thing the Saints have done well through the start of the season, it’s maintaining structure defensively. That attribute has no room to waver against the Lancers.
Streaming for the match can be found on Grace College’s athletics website. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.
