NOTRE DAME, Ind – The IU Northwest men's soccer team traveled to Notre Dame, Indiana, on Wednesday afternoon to take on the Holy Cross Saints. The RedHawks staged a strong comeback from a goal down in the second half, ultimately earning an important draw and a valuable point in CCAC play.
The first 45 minutes of the match saw neither team able to find the back of the net, as the Saints largely controlled possession. Holy Cross's Juan Perez broke the deadlock in the 51
st minute, scoring with an assist from Isaac Filippo to give the Saints a 1-0 lead. The RedHawks responded swiftly, equalizing just eight minutes later. Junior forward
Kyle Scott received a well-placed pass from
Dom Bixeman and found the net in the 59
th minute, bringing the match level at 1-1.
The Saints dominated the first half, taking 14 shots compared to just four from the RedHawks. However, IU Northwest junior goalkeeper
Devun Collins, fresh off a shutout against Olivet Nazarene on Saturday, put forth an impressive performance, recording all seven of his saves in the first half. Collins had now made a total of 19 saves over his last two matches, allowing just one goal during that span.
In the second half, the RedHawks flipped the script, going on the offensive and outshooting the Saints 9-3. Scott's equalizer marked his second goal of the season and underscored his role as a vital offensive threat for IU Northwest; he currently leads the team with 24 total shots.
The RedHawks maintained their aggressive play throughout the second half, with their final quality scoring opportunity coming in the 77
th minute.
Nicholas Flores's header, however, went wide right, denying IU Northwest a chance to take the lead. For the match, the Saints tallied 17 shots and earned six corner kicks, while the RedHawks recorded 11 shots and four corners. Scott led IU Northwest with four shots, three of which were on goa, while
Lorenzo Torres contributed two shots.
This result marks the RedHawks' third draw in four CCAC matches, keeping them in contention for their first postseason appearance in program history. With a record of 0-1-3 in conference play, IU Northwest currently sits in sixth place in the CCAC standings.
The RedHawks will have a bye this weekend before returning to action on Tuesday, October 8, when they host the Saint Ambrose Fighting Bees. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CDT at the Sparta Dome.