The No. 6 nationally ranked Trinity Men's Soccer Team (11-1-0) aims to extend its impressive run of form as it prepares for three home games in six days. Kicking off alumni weekend, the Tigers face Rhodes College on Friday before taking on Millsaps College on Sunday. Then, on Wednesday, Paul McGinlay Field hosts a midweek clash between Trinity and in-state opponent Mary Hardin-Baylor.

Last weekend, the Tigers produced a hard-fought 2-1 comeback victory against a tough Sewanee side on their turf. Once again, the Tigers controlled proceedings from the outset, firing eight first-half shots but falling behind 1-0 in the 33rd minute after conceding a penalty. Undeterred, Trinity pressed on and found their equalizer in the 64th minute when Thomas Kay (Stansted Mountfitchet, England / The Bishop's Stortford) calmly finished off a flowing move down the right involving Julian Lopez (Austin, Texas / St. Stephen's Episcopal) and Luke Mayfield (Austin, Texas / Westlake). The pressure only intensified as Trinity chased a winner, striking the crossbar before finally breaking through in the 83rd minute. From a Romeo Corino (Monaco, Monaco / Woodstock Academy (Conn.)) corner, Daniel Urquidi's (Round Rock, Texas / Round Rock) header was deflected into the path of freshman Max Salinas (Austin, Texas / Austin), who volleyed home to seal a dramatic 2-1 victory. The Tigers outshot Sewanee 21-13, extended their unbeaten streak to five matches, and improved their all-time record against their conference rivals to 23-0.

Preview

The No. 6 Trinity Tigers kick off their three-match week on Friday, October 24, at 8:00 p.m. against the Rhodes College Lynx. Less than 48 hours later, they return to the field to face the Millsaps College Majors on Sunday, October 26, at 1:30 p.m. The busy stretch wraps up with a midweek non-conference showdown against Mary Hardin-Baylor on Wednesday, October 29, at 6:00 p.m.

On the Rhodes College Lynx: The Lynx are a familiar foe for Trinity, with the two programs having met 24 times in their history. The Tigers hold an 18-4-2 advantage in the all-time series and are currently riding a 10-match winning streak. The last meeting came in 2011, when Trinity earned a commanding 10-3 victory, while the Tigers' most recent loss to Rhodes dates all the way back to 2001.

Last season, the Rhodes Lynx posted an impressive 11-5 record and made a deep run in the SAA Conference Tournament, falling just short in the final with a narrow 1-0 loss to champion Oglethorpe University after edging Centre College 1-0 in the semifinals. Since then, the Lynx have lost several key contributors, including one of their two 2024 First Team All-SAA selections and four All-SAA honorable mentions. Despite those departures, the squad remains strong, with six All-Conference players returning for the 2025 campaign.

By Rhodes' standards, this fall has been a step back, as the Lynx sit at 2-6-3 on the season. After opening September with back-to-back wins over Hendrix College and the University of the Ozarks, they've since gone winless, recording three draws and four losses. Their most recent outing ended in a 2-0 defeat at Berry College, a team Trinity comfortably beat 4-0 a couple of weeks back. The Lynx currently sit second from the bottom of the conference standings with a 0-2-2 record.
Players to watch out for: Key contributors for the Lynx include freshman forward Paxton O'Leary, who has scored three goals so far this season, junior forward Ben Novello, who has notched two goals and an assist to build on his 2024 All-SAA second team nomination, and senior midfielder Matthew Ahl, who has contributed with a goal and two assists so far.

On the Millsaps College Majors: The Majors have long been a familiar opponent for Trinity, with the programs meeting 21 times in their history. Historically, Trinity has dominated the series, winning all 21 matchups. The first meeting came in 1991, ending in a 2-0 victory for the Tigers, while the most recent clash in 2011 saw Trinity secure a 5-0 win.

Last season, the Millsaps Majors finished with a 3-11-2 record, concluding their campaign with a 3-0 loss to eventual SAA champions Oglethorpe University in the first round of the conference tournament. Since then, the Majors have retained most of their 2024 All-SAA honorable mentions and come into this weekend's matchup at Paul McGinlay Field with a much-improved squad.

This fall has been an up-and-down campaign so far for the Majors. After going undefeated in their opening seven matches, they've settled into a 7-5-2 record, winning only twice and losing five in their last seven outings. Last week, they notched a 4-2 victory over the United States Sports University before falling 3-1 to Oglethorpe University in an SAA matchup, leaving their conference record at 1-3, with their sole win coming against Centre College, a team Trinity defeated 5-0. Before facing the Tigers, Millsaps will travel to Georgetown, Texas, to take on Southwestern University on Friday.

Players to watch out for: Key contributors for the Majors include freshman forward Myles Walden, who has notched seven goals and an assist so far this season, sophomore forward Ellis Dykes, who has contributed with four goals and six assists to build on his 2024 All-SAA honorable mention campaign, and freshman midfielder Abram Lawless, who has scored three goals and gotten three assists so far. 

On the Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders: The Crusaders are a familiar opponent for Trinity, having faced the Tigers in each of the last four seasons. Historically, Trinity has held the upper hand, leading the all-time series 9-4, with their most recent loss coming in a 3-2 defeat during the 2022 campaign.

Last season's clash between the Tigers and Crusaders was an exciting matchup, with the game resulting in a 3-1 away win for the Tigers. After the Crusaders opened the scoring, the graduated Hunter Cain (Katy, Texas / Cinco Ranch) pulled the Tigers level with a composed finish midway through the first half. Early in the second, senior defender Luke Chandler (Glasgow, Scotland / Balfron) put Trinity ahead with a header at the back post, and the graduate Louis Instrall (London, England / Hampton School) sealed the victory late on with a powerful shot from the top of the box. 

Last season, the UMHB Crusaders finished with a 10-6-3 record and captured their fourth consecutive ASC regular-season title. Their campaign ended abruptly in the ASC tournament semifinals, falling to LeTourneau University on penalties. The season also featured a standout moment with a 1-0 victory over the then-No. 1 nationally ranked St. Olaf College. While their 2024 season ended sooner than expected, the team showed clear potential for more. Since then, however, they have lost several key contributors, including the 2024 ASC Midfielder of the Year and two First Team All-ASC honorees.

This fall has been an impressive campaign for the Crusaders, who currently hold an 11-1-3 record and sit atop the Region X NCAA National Power Index, ahead of programs like Colorado College. They enter this week coming off a 2-2 draw at No. 15 nationally ranked Southwestern University and a 2-1 conference victory over Howard Payne University. Earlier in the season, UMHB showcased its quality by holding then-No. 20 Colorado College to a 0-0 draw in Colorado Springs, highlighting its credentials as a dangerous, well-organized team in search of a signature ranked win. Before facing the Tigers, the Crusaders host ETBU in their final home game of the regular season, potentially arriving at Paul McGinlay Field on an eleven-game undefeated streak.

Players to watch out for: Key contributors for the Crusaders this season include senior forward Karsen Macias, who has notched four goals and three assists to build on his 2024 First Team All-ASC honors, sophomore Aidan Aguilera-Reeves, who has contributed with three goals and three assists, and sophomore Yannis Benae who has scored four goals and gotten an assist so far. Off the back of last season, other players to watch out for include 2024 First Team All-ASC defenders Dylan Vadnais and Peyton Hoyt, Second Team All-ASC selection Evan Ruiz, and the 2024 ASC Goalkeeper of the Year Hayden Owens.

Looking Ahead

The No. 6 nationally ranked Trinity Men's Soccer team will look to round out its regular season campaign with an SAA matchup against local rivals Southwestern University on Saturday, November 1st at 7:30 p.m. on Paul McGinlay Field.