BANNOCKBURN, Ill. —The Trojan men embarked upon the 2022 campaign with a home fixture against the #21 Bethel University Pilots, suffering a 5-0 defeat at Schartner Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Trojans came out swinging right from the get-go, racing up and down the pitch to create solid chances in the opening minutes of a half that saw them rack up seven shots, four of which were on frame, and four corners. It was the Pilots who struck first however, beating talented keeper Armin Mahmutovic with a perfectly placed header off a corner kick, a rare time Mahmutovic didn't have the answer in a sensational 11-save performance. Despite solid work from the Trojan defensive unit, led by captain Zach Mawdsley and newcomer Jesus Ramos, the Pilots managed to stack up two more tallies before the stroke of halftime, setting the score at the break at 3-0.

After refocusing during the halftime break, the Trojans came out in the second half with a purpose, and barring a couple tough breaks, could have brought the margin within one goal. Within a matter of minutes, the Trojans had their first goal of the season ruled off due to an offsides call before speedy forward TK Garside was dragged down in the box for what seemed like an obvious penalty to everyone witnessing the match except for the man with the whistle. Moments later, Trojan miscommunication led to an own goal that pushed Bethel's advantage to 4-0, and while that might not seem close from a glance at the box score, those who watched the match unfold knew that the margin could just as easily have been just a 3-2 Bethel lead had the Trojans had a little more good fortune on their side.

After a fifth Bethel goal midway through the half, things got ugly, as the officials struggled to keep control over the game. The issues came to a head when a Bethel player shoved Trojan Joel Kirakos, leading to bookings for both. The caution cards resulting from the brief altercation were two of the four shelled out by the officials in the waning minutes of play, as the men in yellow began calling numerous fouls down the stretch until the horn sounded, concluding a 5-0 defeat for Trinity.

Up Next
While it certainly wasn't the opener the Trojans (0-1-0) were seeking, they created several offensive opportunities and played far better than the final score would indicate. They'll attempt to build on the performance when they clash with Edgewood College on Wednesday, September 7, in Madison, Wisconsin.
 

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TIU Trojans
TIU Men's Soccer

 

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