BANNOCKBURN, Ill.—The Trojans put up a strong fight on home turf on Wednesday afternoon, but ultimately fell short in their CCAC match against the Fighting Saints of St. Francis, losing 4-0.

The contest started slowly for both sides, at least from an attacking standpoint, as each team methodically eased their way into the action. The first quarter hour saw a lot of midfield battles and efficient passing from both sides, but not much to speak of in the way of scoring chances. The Trojans nearly broke through with the opening tally when Abigail Olsson played a beautiful ball through to a wide-open Payton Siragusa in the center of the pitch, who shook a defender with a sensational touch before being denied at the doorstep when the keeper came up with the stop. As the half wore on, St. Francis started to possess more and more, and the Trojans turned to their solid defensive unit and decisive play from standout keeper Sarah Davis to keep the score level. The Fighting Saints finally broke through in the 32^nd minute, when a rare miscue on a failed clearance attempt led to the opening tally. The Trojans buckled down to see the half through, even creating a few quality breakaway chances, but the 1-0 St. Francis lead remained at the halftime horn.

Coach Morgan Helms' squad continued to employ a similar defensive strategy as the first half by keeping their defensive line up high, resulting in several Fighting Saints offside calls as they relied on Davis to remain calm and decisive as she swooped in to field several through-balls. Unfortunately, St. Francis had one frenzied stretch that put the game out of reach, scoring three goals in just three and a half minutes to expand the lead to 4-0. The Trojans continued to fight, locking down St. Francis for the rest of the match with terrific on ball defending and repeated clearances on a number of crosses. While the Trojans continued to create more breakaway looks, they never were able to break through on the score sheet, keeping the final margin at 4-0.

Once again, the Trojans battled and showed flashes of brilliance despite the difficult result. There were certainly plenty of bright spots for Trinity, as outside of the three-goal span in the second half, the Trojans kept a talented St. Francis squad to just one tally while managing several quality chances on the other end. It was certainly another solid effort for Trinity, but it just wasn't meant to be.

The Trojans will continue their home stand with another CCAC clash, this one against Holy Cross College on Saturday, October 15th.  
 

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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.