The No. 4 nationally ranked Trinity Men's Soccer team hits the road on Thursday for back-to-back matches in Abilene, TX, first against Hardin-Simmons University on Thursday and then followed up on Friday with a tasty matchup against the No. 20 nationally ranked Christopher Newport University.
 
The Tigers extended their unbeaten start to the season with a pair of dominant performances last weekend, showcasing both attacking flair and defensive steel. In a 3-0 win over Concordia, senior captain Adam Knutson (Dripping Springs, Texas / Dripping Springs) led the charge with a first-half brace and an assist, while Samuel Theiss (Boerne, Texas / Boerne) added a third as the Tigers controlled possession and outshot the Tornados 24-8 en route to their fourth shutout in five matches. Just two days earlier, Trinity had battled past a stubborn Texas Lutheran side, breaking the deadlock in the 86th minute when Zach Anderson (Davis, Calif. / Davis) buried a late winner set up by freshman Max Salinas (Austin, Texas / Austin) to seal a gritty 1-0 victory. Across both matches, Trinity's backline remained impenetrable, securing consecutive clean sheets and pushing the Tigers to a perfect 5-0-0 record. 
 
Preview

The No. 4 Trinity Tigers open their two-match swing in Abilene, Texas, on Thursday, September 18, with a 7:00 p.m. clash against the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys. Less than 24 hours later, they return to the pitch for a marquee Friday night showdown with No. 20 Christopher Newport University at 7:00 p.m.
On the Hardin-Simmons Cowboys: Hardin-Simmons is a familiar foe for Trinity, with the two programs meeting in three of the last four seasons. The Tigers have historically dominated the matchup, holding a commanding 28-2-3 advantage in the all-time series. Their most recent encounter, however, was a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Paul McGinlay Field in 2023.
 
The 2023 clash between the Tigers and Cowboys was an exciting matchup with the game resulting in a disappointing 2-2 draw for the Tigers. After a scoreless first half highlighted by a penalty save from graduated goalkeeper Austin Wilman (Esher, England / Charterhouse School), HSU struck first before the graduated Hunter Cain (Katy, Texas / Cinco Ranch) and then sophomore Knutson scored back-to-back goals to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. The Cowboys equalized in the 86th minute, and despite late Trinity pressure, the match ended level. 

Last fall, the Cowboys claimed the ASC Championship to earn an NCAA Tournament berth, ultimately falling to Bowdoin College 3-0 in the opening round. This year's squad enters the weekend with a 3-3 record, most recently splitting results with a 1-0 loss to Concordia University (TX) and a 4-2 win over Centenary College. Despite that momentum, Hardin-Simmons lost five of its eight All-ASC honorees from last year, including ASC Defensive Player of the Year Maxwell Winneker, leaving a young but hungry group ready to test itself against the Tigers.

Players to watch out for: Key players for the Cowboys include sophomore forward James Webb, a 2024 All-ASC first team nominee, who recorded three goals last season and has already bagged five goals and an assist in six games so far this season. In midfield, sophomore Daniel Villagomez has emerged as another standout as he earned All-ASC first team honors in the 2024 campaign and looks to continue providing for the Cowboys. Finally in defence, junior Liam Cisneros has had a standout start to the season and has been awarded with the ASC Defensive Player of the Week after this last weekend's performance. 
 
On the No. 20 Christopher Newport Captains: The Captains are a less familiar opponent for Trinity, with the two programs meeting only five times in their history. The Tigers hold a 3-1-1 advantage in the all-time series, though the most recent meeting in 2019 ended in a cagey 1-1 draw. Last season, Christopher Newport finished with a modest 6-7-5 record, but the numbers alone don't tell the full story. The Captains surged into the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference Tournament final, narrowly falling 3-2 in overtime to the then No. 1 nationally ranked University of Mary Washington after a season which featured seven Top-25 conflicts.

This fall, CNU has returned in strong form with an unbeaten 4-0-2 start. They enter the weekend fresh off a 1-0 victory over Rutgers-Camden and a 3-1 win against Hampden-Sydney. Earlier in the season, the Captains showed their quality by holding then No. 8 Dickinson College to a 2-2 draw, underlining their credentials as a dangerous, well-organized side searching for a signature ranked win.

Players to watch out for: Key players for the cowboys include senior defender Asher Kuzemka who earned fourth team All-Region Honors in the 2024 campaign and has already bagged two goals this season, senior goalkeeper Hayden Dewey who earned the Coast-to-Coast Athletic conference Defensive Player of the Week on September 2nd and junior defender Yazan Yaghmour who earned this weeks Defensive Player of the Week after scoring in their win over Rutgers-Camden this last weekend. It is clear that the Captains will be a defensively steely side and potentially cause some trouble for the Tigers' potent attack.
 
Looking Ahead
 
The Tigers will be back at home at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, September 26th, for a tough matchup against UC-Santa Cruz.