University of St. Thomas Athletics
Saturday, October 23
St. Paul, Minn.
1:00 p.m.
1-11-2, 1-4-0
1
vs
0
Omaha
4-8-1, 2-2-0
1
2
F
Omaha
0
0
0
St. Thomas (MN)
1
0
1
Men's Soccer defeats Nebraska-Omaha in historic day for the program
10/23/2021 6:52:00 PM | Men's Soccer
St. Thomas secured a well-deserved win against Summit League opponent Nebraska-Omaha (4-8-1) on Saturday. A sharp and collective performance made this a historic day for men's soccer.
The first Division I season has felt a bit like building a plane while in the air, but the scene on South Field today reflected the effort and trust the team has put in each other and the process.
The Toms began the match with high intensity and were able to capitalize on an early set piece. Faris Colic converted a free kick from Sam Holton in the 12th minute and collected the second goal of his collegiate career. Although they had an early lead, the men's battle was far from over. For the remaining 78 minutes, the Tommies played consistent and relentless, and earned themselves a 1-0 victory.
Organization was a key component to the Toms' success. This fantastic team effort helped St. Thomas find control and manage difficult moments. Players from the bench as well as on the field were consistently vocal, navigating their teammates through tough moments and directing them through shifts in field position.
The Tommie defense was stellar, led by the experience and intelligence of senior Halvor Houg, and the consistency of junior Jack Gleckler. As a unit, the backline was successful at shutting down the Mavericks' chances in the box, forcing UNO to shoot from farther away. The Toms were tough and assertive, defending nineteen shots and six corners from Omaha.
Senior Niklas Martensson was strong and composed in goal. He made eight saves for St. Thomas.
St. Thomas' midfield was hard at work. They played aggressive and continued to force the Mavs to turn over. Senior Sam Holton was a steady presence and led his teammates as they made adjustments to their system. The Toms adapted well to these changes, with significant effort from senior Jack Barry and freshman Keegan James, whose roles shifted throughout the game. Freshman Charlie Holton and sophomore Max Hand had fantastic contributions to both the offensive and defensive efforts.
The Toms put a lot of pressure on Omaha's defense, and made it difficult for them to get the ball out of their territory. They were fast and dangerous, with over 50% of their shots on target. Freshman Faris Colic was a strong presence for the men's attack and was supported by the fervent and unwavering effort of his team.
Up next for the Tommies (1-11-2) is a road game at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (6-5-1). Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 26th.
Head coach Jon Lowery on the game: "It's a really historic day for the University, St. Thomas athletics, and for our soccer program. We've been putting in our work every single day, and I'm so happy for the guys to get the reward of a result. I appreciate all the people who help us do this, all the way from Dr. Sullivan, Phil, and Cory, to our fans. Today was just a really special day for our program."
The first Division I season has felt a bit like building a plane while in the air, but the scene on South Field today reflected the effort and trust the team has put in each other and the process.
The Toms began the match with high intensity and were able to capitalize on an early set piece. Faris Colic converted a free kick from Sam Holton in the 12th minute and collected the second goal of his collegiate career. Although they had an early lead, the men's battle was far from over. For the remaining 78 minutes, the Tommies played consistent and relentless, and earned themselves a 1-0 victory.
Organization was a key component to the Toms' success. This fantastic team effort helped St. Thomas find control and manage difficult moments. Players from the bench as well as on the field were consistently vocal, navigating their teammates through tough moments and directing them through shifts in field position.
The Tommie defense was stellar, led by the experience and intelligence of senior Halvor Houg, and the consistency of junior Jack Gleckler. As a unit, the backline was successful at shutting down the Mavericks' chances in the box, forcing UNO to shoot from farther away. The Toms were tough and assertive, defending nineteen shots and six corners from Omaha.
Senior Niklas Martensson was strong and composed in goal. He made eight saves for St. Thomas.
St. Thomas' midfield was hard at work. They played aggressive and continued to force the Mavs to turn over. Senior Sam Holton was a steady presence and led his teammates as they made adjustments to their system. The Toms adapted well to these changes, with significant effort from senior Jack Barry and freshman Keegan James, whose roles shifted throughout the game. Freshman Charlie Holton and sophomore Max Hand had fantastic contributions to both the offensive and defensive efforts.
The Toms put a lot of pressure on Omaha's defense, and made it difficult for them to get the ball out of their territory. They were fast and dangerous, with over 50% of their shots on target. Freshman Faris Colic was a strong presence for the men's attack and was supported by the fervent and unwavering effort of his team.
Up next for the Tommies (1-11-2) is a road game at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (6-5-1). Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 26th.
Head coach Jon Lowery on the game: "It's a really historic day for the University, St. Thomas athletics, and for our soccer program. We've been putting in our work every single day, and I'm so happy for the guys to get the reward of a result. I appreciate all the people who help us do this, all the way from Dr. Sullivan, Phil, and Cory, to our fans. Today was just a really special day for our program."
Team Stats
UNO
UST
Goals
0
1
Shots
19
7
Shots on Goal
9
4
Saves
3
8
Corners
6
2
Fouls
10
8
Scoring Plays
Faris Colic (2)
Assisted By: Sam Holton
GOAL by UST Colic, Faris Assist by Holton, Sam.
11:34
Game Leaders
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
def
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
def
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's SoccerD
/ Men's SoccerD
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's SoccerMen's Soccer
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