Trinity Men's Soccer (5-2-4) looks to go ten unbeaten as they return home on Friday, October 18th, to match up against Berry College before hosting Oglethorpe University on Sunday, October 20th.
 
Last week, the Trinity Tigers stayed unbeaten on the road, holding a nationally ranked conference rival scoreless before turning in a commanding shutout win. On Tuesday, Trinity opened Southern Athletic Association play with a 0-0 draw at No. 11 Southwestern at Southwestern Varsity Fields, then followed it up Sunday with a 4-0 win over Centre College Danville, Kentucky, to improve to 5-2-4 on the season.
 
Against Southwestern, Trinity set the tone from the opening whistle against a Pirates side riding a seven-game winning streak and a perfect home record. The Tigers controlled possession, kept the hosts pinned in their own half for long stretches and whipped a string of first-half crosses across the face of goal. Southwestern found its best spell between the 70th and 80th minutes, but Trinity pushed for a winner down the stretch. Milo Williams (Austin, Texas / University of Texas HS) dragged an effort wide in the 84th minute, and with just over a minute to play, Joey Perryman (Flower Mound, Texas / Flower Mound) unleashed a shot toward the top corner that Pirates goalkeeper TJ Bass fingertipped wide. With seconds remaining, Jayden Schell (Dallas, Texas / Plano) stood his ground on a Southwestern breakaway to preserve the clean sheet, finishing with three saves as Trinity outshot the Pirates 15-7. The draw extended Trinity's unbeaten run against Southwestern to 23 straight meetings, dating back to 2013.
 
Five days later at Centre, Trinity dictated play from start to finish on a rainy afternoon. Captain Daniel Urquidi (Round Rock, Texas / Round Rock) opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, heading home an Alex Baltov (Shreveport, Louisiana / Caddo Parish Magnet) corner for the first goal of his Trinity career. Perryman then took over in the second half, slipping Cade Dougan (Austin, Texas / St. Stephen's Episcopal) in behind in the 62nd minute for his first goal as a Tiger in his 54th appearance. Dougan added a second less than ten minutes later, volleying home from point-blank range after the Colonels' keeper clawed away a curling Perryman corner. Hodge MacDonald (Hertford, England / Haileybury) capped the scoring in the 83rd minute, glancing in a Jeremy Siau (Granite Bay, California / Granite Bay) cross for his second goal in as many wins. Trinity finished with a 15-5 shot advantage and an 8-0 edge in shots on goal, while Schell, Brandon Gongora (San Antonio, Texas / Madison) and Jack Madsen (Highland Park, Texas / Highland Park) combined for the shutout without needing to make a save, the Tigers' second straight shutout win.
 
SAA Defensive Player of the Week - Cade Dougan
 
From the SAA press release: 
 
Dougan led Trinity's men's soccer team to a 1-0-1 record in two SAA road games over the last week, winning 4-0 over Centre on Sunday after earning a scoreless draw against #11 Southwestern earlier in the week. Dougan and the Tiger defense did not allow a goal over 180 minutes last week, holding the two teams to 12 combined shots and just three shots on goal across two games. Dougan also scored two second-half goals against Centre to help put the game out of reach both offensively and defensively.
 
Preview

The Trinity Tigers will kick off their weekend of home SAA play on Friday, October 18th, at 7:30 p.m. as they match up against the Berry College Vikings before facing off against the Oglethorpe University Petrels on Sunday, October 20th, at 1:30 p.m.

On the Berry College Vikings: The Vikings are a relatively unfamiliar opponent for the Tigers, with the two sides meeting just three times. Trinity won the first meeting 6-0 in 2024, then added a 4-0 road win last season before the teams played to a 1-1 draw in the 2025 SAA Tournament semifinal, which the Tigers ultimately lost on penalties. Still unbeaten against the Vikings in regulation, Trinity will look to stretch that run to four games and avenge last year's tournament exit.

The 2025 SAA Tournament semi-final meeting between the Tigers and Vikings ended in heartbreak for Trinity, as Berry advanced past the No. 5 nationally ranked Tigers 5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Georgetown, Texas. Berry struck first in the 19th minute, converting from the spot after a handball was called in the Trinity area, and the Vikings' keeper held firm through a first half in which the Tigers piled up seven shots and five corners. Trinity finally broke through in the 69th minute, when the now-graduated Samuel Theiss (Boerne, Texas / Boerne) slotted home a penalty to level the match. Baltov and the graduated Adam Knutson (Dripping Springs, Texas / Dripping Springs) both went close late in regulation, and Theiss saw a 105th-minute effort parried away in extra time, as Trinity outshot Berry 19-3 but couldn't find a winner. In the shootout, Berry converted all five of its attempts while Trinity missed its opener, ending the Tigers' SAA Tournament run and leaving them at 15-1-1 heading into the NCAA Tournament.

Berry posted an impressive 11-6-5 record last season, going 3-3-1 in SAA play before winning the SAA Conference Tournament and reaching the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014. The Vikings have since lost several key contributors, including two of their three 2025 United Soccer Coaches All-Region selections and four of their five All-SAA picks. Still, the squad remains formidable, returning three of five defensive starters and one All-Region honoree.

This fall has seen a solid campaign so far for Berry, going 7-4-1 overall and 3-1 in SAA play. The Vikings split their second weekend of SAA action, falling 2-0 to Rhodes before edging Millsaps 1-0. Earlier in the season, they earned a 1-1 draw at then 24th-ranked Emory and beat Centre 3-1, the same Centre side the Tigers just topped 4-0. With the Vikings 4-2-1 on the road this season and eager to get the better of Trinity for a second straight year, Friday night shapes up as a tough contest.

Players to watch: Freshman defender Joey Captain has been a standout for the Vikings, starting all 12 games and contributing six goals and an assist. Fellow freshman defender Elijah Van Heijden has also started every game and chipped in two goals, while freshman forward Callen Maas has added three goals of his own. In goal, senior Cooper Cherry, a 2025 United Soccer Coaches Third-Team All-Region selection, has started every match and posted four clean sheets.

On the Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels: The Stormy Petrels are a far more familiar opponent for the Tigers, with the programs meeting 20 times. Oglethorpe won the first meeting 3-2 in 1992, but Trinity has won every matchup since, a 19-game winning streak extended by last season's 2-1 victory. That 2025 game was the first meeting between the sides since a 1-0 Tigers win in 2010. Trinity will look to stretch the streak to 20 when the teams meet for the 19th time on the Tigers' home field.

The 2025 meeting between the Tigers and Stormy Petrels ended in a 2-1 Trinity win in Atlanta, as the No. 6 nationally ranked Tigers opened SAA play with a late winner on the road. Trinity dominated the first half, firing nine shots, but Oglethorpe's keeper made six saves to keep the match scoreless at the break. The Tigers broke through three minutes into the second half when the now graduated Knutson won a penalty, and the graduated Theiss buried the rebound after his initial spot kick was saved. Oglethorpe equalized against the run of play in the 81st minute, pouncing on a loose ball in the box, but Trinity answered in the 87th, as Urquidi drew a free kick on the edge of the area and Julian Lopez (Austin, Texas / St. Stephen's Episcopal) curled an in-swinging delivery through a crowd of players and into the net. Trinity finished with a 17-7 shot advantage and 17 corners, improving to 8-1-0 on the season.

Oglethorpe endured a difficult 2025 campaign, finishing 6-9-2 overall and 2-4-1 in SAA play before falling 3-1 in the conference tournament quarterfinals to eventual champion Berry. Despite the disappointing record, the Stormy Petrels played four nationally ranked opponents and kept every one of those games close. They have since retained many of their key players, including all four of their 2025 All-SAA selections.

Results have ticked upward so far this fall, with Oglethorpe sitting at 5-3-4 overall and 1-1-2 in conference play. The Stormy Petrels come into the weekend off a pair of 1-1 road draws against Millsaps and Rhodes in their second weekend of SAA action. Earlier in the season, they fell 1-0 to Berry and beat Centre 1-0, the same Centre team the Tigers just topped 4-0. Before facing Trinity, Oglethorpe takes on 11th-ranked Southwestern on Friday, looking for its second road win of the season.

Players to watch: Sophomore goalkeeper Sebastian Lewis, a 2025 All-SAA Second Team selection, has kept three clean sheets and even scored the game-winning penalty against Centre. Up front, sophomore forward Nathan Leveque leads the attack with two goals and three assists. Freshman center back Eli Beard has logged more minutes than anyone on the roster, while freshman midfielder Sawyer Lee has started every game and added an assist.

Looking Ahead

Trinity Men's Soccer will hit the road again on Friday, October 23rd, as they face off against Sewanee University in Sewanee, Tennessee at 3:30 p.m. Before making the short journey to Maryville, Tennessee on Sunday, October 25th, to match up against SAA newcomers Maryville College at 1:30 p.m. (ET).