BANNOCKBURN, Ill. --- The Trinity International University Trojan men's soccer team hosted the Judson Eagles on Saturday afternoon at Schartner Field. Needing strong play to make the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) playoffs, the Trojans would need to put together an impressive game to get past the Eagles.

TIU started off strong with possession moving quickly while also trying to handle the elements of a cold rain. Though the sides seemed level, there were not many shots until a slip in the box took out an Eagles player and set them up with a penalty opportunity. When Judson sophomore Rafael Rocha stepped up to take the kick, would bury it in the bottom left corner but the referee would bring it back after a Judson player entered the area early and would give them a ratake. Rocha would step up again, but would be denied by TIU goalkeeper Daniel Hill with an amazing save to keep the deadlock. 

The Trojans would march down the field minutes later and find Luka Eric through the center backs would give him an opportunity to hit a shot that would hit off of goalkeeper Jacob Collins, but would fortunately come back to Eric with an open net to put the Trojans up 1-0 in the 39th minute. 

The half would end with the Trojans dominating and ahead with only three shots compared to Judson having just one, but the second half would be a new story as the rain would began to fall harder. The pace of play would increase as the Eagles would have 14 shots and the Trojans would have 11, but within the first five minutes of the second half, the scoreline would flip.

In the 48th, Nikolaos Mihalopoulo would have a clear header after a service from Rocha would even the game at 1-1. The Trojans would seem to struggle from there, because just two minutes later, Mihalopoulo would hit a shot past Hill to put the Eagles ahead. TIU would fight back and see some possession, but wasn't until the 68th minute when Trenton Garside would re-enter the game and hit a corner kick into Zavier Brown to tie the game for the Trojans.

Regulation would end 2-2 and overtime would be controlled by the Eagles as a few opportunities would happen, but no threat to the goal as the first regulation period would end. The second period would find the Eagles on a corner kick where Rocha would hit a corner kick after a Trojan sub would find Luis Germano on a header into the net for the winner. The tough loss eliminates TIU from postseason contention.

The Trojans travel to University Park to challenge the Governors State Jaguars on Tuesday, October 29 at 6:00 PM.

Trinity International University is a comprehensive, national university affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America and located in Bannockburn, Illinois, 25 miles north of Chicago. TIU educates men and women to engage in God's redemptive work in the world by cultivating academic excellence, Christian faithfulness and lifelong learning.