ST. PAUL, Minn. – The University of Northwestern men's soccer team hosted Crown College in an important late-season conference matchup, battling for a playoff berth. Despite a tight possession battle, the Eagles scored three goals in the opening 45 minutes and tallied eight more shots on target than the Polars, solidifying their spot in the UMAC tournament.

Northwestern wasted no time getting on the board, striking in just the 4th minute. Jay'ce Jones (Marina del Rey, Calif./Palisades Charter) received a leading pass from Jared Mojardin (Denver, Colo./Northeast Early College), controlled it in stride, shook off a defender, and buried a shot into the lower corner for the early lead. The Eagles continued to apply pressure, creating several dangerous chances over the next 20 minutes.

The second goal came in the 29th minute after Jones drew a free kick just outside the box. Mojardin's well-placed strike was saved back into traffic, where Luis Villalobos (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville North) pounced on the rebound to double the lead. Only 75 seconds later, the Eagles struck again when Troy Johnson (Killeen, Texas/Killeen) threaded a perfect through ball between several defenders to find Jones, who finished calmly for his second goal of the night and a 3-0 advantage. UNW continued to create opportunities but couldn't convert for additional goals.

Jones led the attack with two goals on three shot attempts, while Villalobos added one goal on two shots on target. Johnson and Mojardin each recorded an assist along with multiple attempts on goal. In net, Hayden DeAnnuntis (Ferndale, Wash./Ferndale) made two saves to secure the shutout.

Northwestern will close out the regular season on Saturday, November 1, with Senior Day celebrations beginning before their 3:30 PM kickoff.