SAN ANTONIO – The No. 5 Trinity University Men's Soccer team (17-1-1) stamped its ticket to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 with a composed, authoritative 2-0 victory over Texas Lutheran University (13-5-3) in Sunday's NCAA Second Round matchup at Paul McGinlay Field.

With a Sweet 16 berth on the line, the Tigers wasted no time asserting control. Trinity pinned the Bulldogs in their defensive third from the opening whistle, pouring on early pressure and generating a flurry of chances. The breakthrough arrived in the 25th minute, when Julian Lopez (Austin, Texas / St. Stephens Episcopal) was brought down in the penalty area by the Bulldogs' goalkeeper. Up stepped Luke Mayfield (Dallas, Texas / JJ Pearce), who gave the keeper the eyes and rolled the ball into the bottom left-hand corner, putting Trinity in front and electrifying the packed home crowd.

The Tigers continued to dictate the match after halftime, suffocating Texas Lutheran's buildup and winning second balls across midfield. Their dominance was rewarded again in the 66th minute. After a sharp attacking sequence, Samuel Theiss (Boerne, Texas / Boerne) drove down the left flank, into the penalty area, and dinked the ball with the outside of his boot into the bottom left-hand corner, catching the goalkeeper out at his near post. His composure to deceive the goalkeeper provided exactly the cushion the Tigers needed in a high-stakes tournament setting. 

Defensively, Trinity delivered one of its most controlled performances of the year. Anchored by Daniel Urquidi (Round Rock, Texas / Round Rock) and a disciplined back line, the Tigers held Texas Lutheran without a single shot on target. Goalkeeper Jayden Schell (Dallas, Texas / Plano) recorded the clean sheet without needing a save, as Trinity's shape and pressure snuffed out every TLU advance.

On the other end, Trinity's attack showcased its depth and variety. Adam Knutson (Dripping Springs, Texas / Dripping Springs), Max Salinas (Austin, Texas / Austin), Joey Perryman (Flower Mound, Texas / Flower Mound), and Theiss repeatedly carved open the Bulldogs' defense, generating 14 shots and forcing seven saves from TLU goalkeeper Ernesto Avila, who kept the final margin from growing larger.

Up Next
With the win, Trinity advances to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the second straight year. They face a trip to St. Louis, where they will match up against hosts Washington University-St. Louis on Saturday, November 22nd, carrying with them momentum, confidence, and the belief befitting a national contender.