NASHVILLE — Trevecca Nazarene University men's soccer continued the best start in program history Saturday night, scoring four times in the opening 30 minutes and pulling away late for a 6-2 Gulf South Conference victory over Mississippi Christian University at the Trojan Soccer Complex.
Trevecca (5-0-2, 1-0-2 GSC) remains unbeaten through seven matches and picked up its first Gulf South win of the season. The Trojans scored a season-high six goals and have now produced 18 goals through seven matches after scoring 12 through the first six.
Chris Douglas scored twice and added an assist, while freshman Zion Jones scored the first two goals of his Trevecca career. Jack Franklin added a goal and two assists as the Trojans produced nine assists on their six goals.
Douglas continued his fast start to the season with his second two-goal match of the year. He also scored twice in Trevecca's 3-0 win over Johnson on Sept. 8. The junior now has seven goals through seven matches, averaging one goal per match, and has already surpassed his previous single-season career high of six goals set during his freshman season in 2024.
Douglas entered the season with 11 career goals, four assists and 26 points. Saturday's two goals and assist moved him to 18 career goals, five career assists and 41 career points.
THE MATCH
Trevecca wasted little time getting started.
Douglas put the Trojans in front just 3:51 into the match, taking an assist from Haden Brown and scoring his sixth goal of the season.
Less than 10 minutes later, Douglas struck again. Goalkeeper Hunter Walker and Judah Jones combined to set up Douglas at 13:00, giving the Trojans a 2-0 lead and Douglas his seventh goal of the year. 402978
Douglas has now scored seven times through Trevecca's first seven matches after entering the season with 11 career goals.
Franklin pushed the advantage to 3-0 at 23:17. The senior midfielder scored his second goal of the season unassisted.
Trevecca added another just over six minutes later.
Franklin and Douglas combined to set up Zion Jones at 29:24, and the freshman midfielder finished for his first collegiate goal. Jones, one of three Trojans named to the GSC Newcomers Watch List before the season, entered the match still looking for his first Trevecca goal.
The Trojans needed only seven first-half shots to build the 4-0 advantage, putting five of those attempts on goal.
Mississippi Christian generated pressure during the final portion of the half, forcing Walker into four saves before Karim Gegg broke through with just six seconds remaining. Gegg's fifth goal of the season cut the Trevecca lead to 4-1 at halftime.
The Choctaws pulled closer at 69:42 when Harry McLean scored his fifth goal of the season off an assist from Benjamin Smith, making it 4-2.
Trevecca answered over the final seven minutes.
Daniel Shiel restored the three-goal advantage at 83:40. Franklin picked up his second assist of the match and Tomas Barros added another on Shiel's third goal of the season.
Zion Jones then finished the scoring at 87:06. Seth Isbell and Joe Coyle supplied the assists as Jones scored for the second time in the match, turning his first career goal into his first career multi-goal performance.
Douglas finished with five points on two goals and an assist. His assist on Jones' first goal was his first of the season.
Franklin finished with four points on a goal and two assists. He entered the match with one goal and no assists this season, giving him two goals, two assists and six points through seven matches. Franklin entered the year with four career goals and eight career points, moving his career totals to six goals, two assists and 14 points.
Judah Jones picked up his fourth assist of the season and remains Trevecca's season leader in assists after collecting three through the first six matches.
Walker also contributed at both ends. In addition to his assist on Douglas' second goal, the sophomore goalkeeper finished with a season-high 10 saves. His previous season high was six, reached against both Carson-Newman and Johnson.
Mississippi Christian held a 25-17 advantage in total shots and a 12-8 edge in shots on goal, but the Trojans converted six of their eight attempts on frame.
TROJAN NOTES
- Trevecca is 5-0-2, remaining unbeaten through seven matches and extending the best start in program history.
- The six goals are a season high.
- Trevecca has scored 18 goals through seven matches, an average of 2.57 goals per match.
- Douglas has seven goals in seven matches this season.
- Douglas has already established a new single-season career high in goals.
- Douglas now has 18 career goals, five career assists and 41 career points.
- Saturday was Douglas' second two-goal match of the season.
- Zion Jones scored the first two goals of his Trevecca career.
- Franklin recorded his first two assists of the season and finished with a goal and two assists.
- Judah Jones has a team-leading four assists this season.
- Walker's 10 saves are a season high.
- Trevecca has scored in the second half of all seven matches this season.
GOALKEEPERS:
Trevecca - Hunter Walker (W; 5-0-2) - 90 Minutes Played, 2 GA, 10 SV
Mississippi Christian - Santiago Dominguez (L; 2-2-0) - 90 Minutes Played, 6 GA, 2 SV 402978
SCORING:
3:51 - TNU: Chris Douglas (6), Haden Brown
13:00 - TNU: Chris Douglas (7), Hunter Walker, Judah Jones
23:17 - TNU: Jack Franklin (2), Unassisted
29:24 - TNU: Zion Jones (1), Jack Franklin, Chris Douglas
44:54 - MCU: Karim Gegg (5), Patrick Vukoje
69:42 - MCU: Harry McLean (5), Benjamin Smith
83:40 - TNU: Daniel Shiel (3), Jack Franklin, Tomas Barros
87:06 - TNU: Zion Jones (2), Seth Isbell, Joe Coyle 402978
UP NEXT
Trevecca remains home Wednesday, September 23, when longtime rival Lee University visits the Trojan Soccer Complex for Gulf South Conference play. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Wednesday marks the 14th meeting in the documented series between the programs, a rivalry dating back to 1991. According to Lee's historical records, the Flames lead the all-time series 8-1-4.
The Trojans, however, are unbeaten in the last two meetings. Trevecca earned its first victory in the series with a 1-0 win in Nashville in 2024 before the teams played to a 0-0 draw in Cleveland in 2025. Lee's historical records also show seven of the first nine meetings between the programs came between 1991 and 2004.
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