CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. — Playing their final pre-conference match on the road on Saturday, the Trevecca Nazarene University Women's Soccer team again showed a level of grit and fight that has come to be a regular part of their 2026 campaign. For the first time this season, that effort came up just short.
Trevecca (2-1-1) leveled the score in the 85th minute of their match at Thomas More University (2-0-2), but with just over two minutes remaining the Saints broke through with the game-winning goal, as they took the 3-2 win.
THE SERIES
The match was the third one in series history. The Saints have taken wins from Trevecca in the last two meetings, and TMU now leads the series 2-1. Trevecca's lone win over the Saints came in Crestview Hills, Kentucky in September of 2023 in their first meeting ever.
THE MATCH
For only the second time this season, the Trojans broke through first. Trevecca sent the ball into space down the right wing where it was gathered in by Kayelee Maners. Maners settled the ball and faced up on the TMU defender before lofting a ball towards the back post. The shot arched high in the air over TMU goalkeeper Emma Yeager, hit the inside of the left post and went in to put Trevecca up 1-0.
In the 30th minute, the Saints equalized when a mis-communication on an attempted clearance gave TMU a gift. The Trojans' attempted clearance failed to get past Josie Gruber of TMU, and TNU keeper Mary Bauchou was caught well off her line, leaving a wide open goal for Gruber to find and knot the score at 1-1.
Thomas More took their first lead of the match in the 63rd minute on Gruber's second tally of the match. An attempted pass between Trevecca defenders came off a foot with very little pace and Gruber took it in 1-v-1 with Bauchou. Gruber took a touch around Bauchou to the left and then slid the ball into the open net to give the Saints the 2-1 lead.
In the 85th minute, Trevecca found a quick counter-attack opportunity down the left wing side. The ball found Elsa Bengtsson flying down the wing, and after the sophomore from Stockholm Sweden took several touches forward, she deftly cut in behind a defender closing hard from the center and ripped a right-footed shot into the side netting to pull the Trojans level at 2-2.
With just 2:03 remaining in the match, though, TMU got one more opportunity after Ivy Hoffman headed the ball clear behind the Trojans' defense. Hoffman ran onto the loose ball coming down the left side, and she used the left foot to send it into the net and provide the Saints with the 3-2 win.
GOALKEEPERS:
Trevecca - Mary Bauchou (L, 1-1-1) - 90 Minutes Played, 3 GA, 1 SV
Thomas More - Emma Yeager (W, 2-0-1) - 90 Minutes Played, 2 GA, 2 SV
SCORING:
12:58 - TNU: Kayelee Maners (1, Unassisted)
29:08 - TMU: Josie Gruber (2, Unassisted)
62:39 - TMU: Josie Gruber (3, Unassisted)
84:04 - TNU: Elsa Bengtsson (2, Unassisted)
87:57 - TMU: Ivy Hoffman (3, Addyson Fogle)
UP NEXT
Trevecca will next take the pitch on Saturday, September 12. That evening, the Trojans will open their 2026 Gulf South Conference Schedule against the University of Montevallo Falcons (2-0). The Falcons were picked second in the preseason GSC rankings, and they will be playing their third match in six days.
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