JACKSON, Tenn. — The Trevecca Nazarene University men's soccer team continued to make history on Wednesday night against one of their oldest foes on the pitch. The Trojans equalled a program NCAA-era record for single season victories, and their sophomore goalkeeper set a single season mark for shutouts as well.
Hunter Walker only made a pair of saves in the match, but that is all he needed to notch his fifth clean sheet of the season as the Trojans (9-1-2, 4-1-2 GSC) equalled their NCAA-era best win total with their ninth win of the season, a 1-0 blanking of the Union University Bulldogs (4-6-1, 2-3-1 GSC).
Walker tied his program single season mark with his fifth clean sheet of the season. Walker broke the previous record of four season shutouts set by Hayden Coffman in 2011. Walker recorded five shutouts in 17 matches last year, besting that by getting five saves in 12 matches this year. Walker is within a shared shutout of the program career best mark of 10.5 set by Braydon Brown from 2011-14.
The Trojans last won nine matches in a single season during the 2011 and 2012 seasons - head coach Danny Leavy's third and fourth campaigns on the Trevecca sidelines. With three matches left in the regular season, the Trojans will now take aim at the overall program record of 10 wins which was set by Stan Herod's final Trevecca team in 2003.The 2003 Trojans finished 10-9-2.
The win also helped Trevecca jump into an excellent position in the GSC race. Trevecca sits in a tie for second with the University of Alabama-Huntsville, three points behind the Warhawks of Auburn University Montgomery, but with AUM still ahead on the schedule, if Trevecca wins out the Trojans would finish the season with at least a share of the GSC crown.
THE SERIES
The Trojans have experienced minimal success overall in the all-time series with Union - which the Bulldogs lead 15-5-2 - but Trevecca has now won three straight matches in Jackson, dating back to a 2-1 victory in 2022. The Trojans have won three of the last five meetings, and they are 3-1-1 in that stretch.
THE MATCH
Daniel Shiel wasted little time in showing that Saturday was no fluke. Shiel found his way onto the end of a loose ball in the sixth minute that he buried right in front of a Union defender who was sprawling to try and deflect it away. The ball had been played in by Judah Jones, and was intended for Chris Douglas. Douglas got just enough of the ball to keep it alive for Shiel who netted his seventh goal of the season.
Trevecca continued to apply pressure, utilizing Judah Jones and Zion Jones on the right wing to bring the attack forward, and it generated some great chances - none better than a shot from Jack Franklin that rang off the top woodwork before ricochetting off Union goalkeeper Patrick Schott. Schott was able to scramble and keep the ball from going over the line, though, and at the half, the score remained 1-0 Trojans.
As the second half got underway, the Trojans nearly doubled their lead, but shots from Elias Lunde and Judah Jones were turned aside by the Bulldogs' defense. In the 68th minute, Trevecca got perhaps their best chance of the half when Douglas got control of a ball on the right wing side of the box and bore down on the goal at full speed with only Schott in front of him, but his attempt went into the outside netting wide of the post, and the match remained 1-0. Hunter Walker made a pair of great saves in the 69th minute to keep the sheet clean, and from there, the Trojans dominated the match territorially.
Trevecca recorded the final eight shots of the match, and the ball spent the majority of the time in the Bulldogs' half. Schott was forced to make four more saves, as the Trojans piled up 26 shots in the match and 13 in the second frame. As the clock wound down, Trevecca bled the seconds off the timer, and the Trojans earned their third straight win in Jackson, 1-0.
GOALKEEPERS:
Trevecca - Hunter Walker (W; 9-1-2) - 90 Minutes Played, SHO(5), 2 SV
Union - Patrick Schott (L; 4-6-1) - 90 Minutes Played, 1 GA, 7 SV
SCORING:
5:20 - TNU: Daniel Shiel (7, Judah Jones)
UP NEXT
Trevecca will have Saturday off as the Trojans draw the bye in the GSC slate, then they will host two of their final three matches of the regular season.
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