GEORGETOWN, TX - The Trinity University Men's Soccer team (4-2-4) opened Southern Athletic Association play with a hard-fought 0-0 draw at No. 11 nationally ranked Southwestern University (8-1-1) on Tuesday night in front of a rowdy home crowd at Southwestern Varsity Fields.
The Pirates arrived riding a seven-game winning streak and a perfect home record, but it was the Tigers who set the tone from the opening whistle. Trinity controlled possession and kept the game pinned in Southwestern's half for long stretches, moving easily from patient build-up on the ground to more direct balls over the top. A flurry of first-half crosses whipped into the box, each one just a final touch away from breaking the deadlock. Even against a much taller Pirates side, the Tigers battled for every second ball and every header, refusing to concede an inch.
Southwestern found its best spell between the 70th and 80th minutes, holding more of the ball and carving out a few looks of its own, but Trinity wrestled back momentum down the stretch and pressed for a winner. In the 84th minute,
Milo Williams (Austin, Texas / University of Texas HS) found space in the box but dragged his effort wide of the left post. The Tigers came even closer with just over a minute to play, when
Joey Perryman (Flower Mound, Texas / Flower Mound) drove into the right side of the area and unleashed a shot that looked destined for the top corner, only for Pirates goalkeeper TJ Bass to fingertip it wide.
Southwestern had one final chance to steal it. With seconds remaining, a Pirates forward broke in behind on the counter with nothing but open grass ahead, but
Jayden Schell (Dallas, Texas / Plano) did what he does best, standing his ground to make a remarkable save and preserve the clean sheet. Schell finished with three saves as Trinity outshot Southwestern 15-7 and held a 5-2 edge in corners, with Perryman putting two shots on frame and
Luke Mayfield (Dallas, Texas / JJ Pearce) leading the team with three attempts.
The draw extends Trinity's unbeaten run against Southwestern to 23 straight meetings, dating back to 2013.Â
Up Next
The Tigers stay on the road this week, traveling to Danville, Kentucky, to face Centre College on Sunday, October 11th, at 1:30 p.m. (ET).
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