ARDEN HILLS, Minn.- The University of Northwestern Men's Soccer Team began their season on a hot afternoon on Thursday when they traveled down Snelling Avenue to square off with the Bethel University Royals. The Eagles dropped the opening contest 4-1.
The Eagles' first game of the season started as a defensive battle as each squad tried to come up with a way to score the first goal of the season. After 27 minutes of scoreless soccer, it was the Eagles that broke the tie in the 28
th minute. UNW earned a penalty kick that
Alejandro Alfaro (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta), who is returning to the team after an impressive freshman campaign last season, stepped up to take. Alfaro buried the opportunity and the Eagles took a 1-0 lead on the road.
After taking the first lead of the game, the Eagles desperately tried to hold off the Royals and enter the halftime break with the lead. However, in the 37
th minute, the Royals finally broke through. The goal would tie the game 1-1 and the teams went into the halftime break locked in a tie game.
The home team would break that tie quickly in the second half. Only 48 seconds after resuming play in the second half, the Royals scored again to take their first lead of the contest. Bethel would add goals in the 54
th and 89
th minutes and would win the opener 4-1.
The Eagles played a really strong first half and the statistics were nearly identical after 45 minutes. Bethel barely outshot UNW in the first half, getting up only one more shot, 6-5. The contest would end with the Royals firing off 20 shots and the Eagles getting off 7 shots of their own.
Andrew Skoglund (Northfield, Minn./Skoglund Academy) got the start between the pipes for UNW and racked up 3 saves in the contest.
Jonathan-Thomas Olsen (Modesto, Calif./James Enochs High) and
Alejandro Alfaro (Murrieta, Calif./Vista Murrieta) led the Eagles by tallying 2 shots apiece.
Nathaniel Grube (Jordan, Minn./Eagle Ridge Academy),
Teddy Hall (Mendota Heights, Minn./Homeschool), and
Aaron Hill (New Brighton, Minn./Mounds View) all recorded a shot in the contest as well.
After starting the season on the road, the Eagles are now looking forward to coming back home to Reynolds Field. The Eagles' home opener is scheduled for Monday, September 5
th at 5:00 P.M. and is the first opportunity in 2022 for UNW Nation to come out to Reynolds Field to see the UNW Men's Soccer Team in action!
