SEGUIN, TEXAS – Second-seeded University of St. Thomas won its first-ever SCAC Men's Soccer Tournament championship with a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Trinity University at Texas Lutheran's Gustafson Field on Sunday afternoon. Official Championships Website | Photo Album |
Playing in the program's second-consecutive SCAC championship game, the Celts survived a Tiger attack to earn the program its first men's soccer title after coming up short against Centenary in PKs in the 2020-21 final earlier in the spring.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Angel Ramirez scored the championship clinching goal in the 74th minute off a free kick that he redirected from Luis Bencomo.
- The first half was evenly matched as neither St. Thomas nor Trinity registered any corner kicks. The Tigers did hold a slim 6-3 edge in shots during the first 45 minutes of the contest.
- The second half saw Trinity's offensive attack kick into high gear as the Tigers outshot the Celts by a 14-3 margin in the second half. Four of those shots were on target, including two that hit the crossbar.
- Trinity's Chen Adjei had his shot off a corner kick hit the crossbar. Five minutes later, the Tigers were awarded another corner kick. However, St. Thomas's Rodrigo Lazo made the save off the shot from Connor Jones.
- That save proved pivotal as just 11 minutes later Ramirez found the back of the net to tally the game's only score.
- Trinity outshot St. Thomas, 20-6, on the afternoon, including a 5-2 edge in shots on goal. The Tigers also held a 5-2 margin in corner kicks.
- It was a physical match that saw a combined 40 fouls and five yellow cards.
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Angel Ramirez (D): 1 goal, 1 shot on goal
- Luis Bencomo (D): 1 assist
- Andres Marquez (D): 1 shot, 1 shot on goal
- Ian Alvarez (F): 1 shot
- Hamilton Estrada (MF): 1 shot
- Jair Perez (F): 1 shot
- Rodrigo Lazo (GK): 5 saves
TRINITY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Connor Jones (MF): 4 shots, 1 shot on goal)
- Michael Meese (F): 5 shots, 1 shot on goal
- Joseph Kuri (MF): 3 shots
- Chen Adjei (F): 3 shots, 1 shot on goal
- Hunter Cain (D): 2 shots
- Juan Carlso Vidales (GK): 1 save
NOTABLES
- Fabian Delgado of St. Thomas was named Offensive Tournament MVP while teammate Angel Ramirez earned Defensive Tournament MVP laurels.
- St. Thomas won the programs's first-ever SCAC Tournament championship.
- The Celts defeated the Tigers for the second-consecutive year in the SCAC Tournament.
- While St. Thomas won the championship, Trinity will still receive the SCAC's automatic qualifier to the 2021 NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship as a result of St. Thomas being in its final year of provisional membership in Division III before it becomes a full member in 2022-23.
- St. Thomas ends its season with an overall record of 12-2-4. The Celts finished 2021 with a 1-1-1 mark against Trinity. The Celts became the first team all season to hand the Tigers a loss.
- Trinity, currently the second-ranked team in the nation, falls to 16-1-1 overall and to 17-5-2 all-time in SCAC Tournament history.
UP NEXT
Trinity (16-1-1) will await word of its NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championship opening round opponent when the field is released tomorrow.
