SALEM, Va. - Under the bright December lights at Donald J. Kerr Stadium, the No. 5 nationally ranked Trinity University Men's Soccer team (20-1-1) punched its ticket to the national championship match with a gritty, heart-pounding 1-0 overtime victory over the No. 6 ranked Emory University (16-2-4) in Friday's NCAA Semifinal.
From the opening whistle, the tension felt familiar, two disciplined, possession-centric sides probing for space, neither willing to blink. Emory generated the early momentum, firing off eight first-half shots and testing Trinity's defensive organization at every turn. But the Tigers, anchored by the unbeatable
Jayden Schell (Dallas, Texas / Plano) between the posts, absorbed the pressure. Schell registered two first-half saves, including a low stop in the 7th minute and a sharp reaction denial in the 27th, keeping the match scoreless and the Tigers steady.
Despite a lopsided first-half shot margin, Trinity refused to break. The Tigers settled into the match in the second half, tightening the midfield lines and beginning to turn Emory's rhythm into frustration. The tactical adjustments paid off. Trinity earned two corner kicks, created three shots on goal, and forced Emory's keeper into a pair of difficult saves, most notably denying
Hodge MacDonald (Hertford, England / Haileybury) in the 55th minute and a dangerous chance from
Samuel Theiss (Boerne, Texas / Boerne) in the 70th.
With both teams trading cautions, collisions, and long stretches of nervous possession, regulation ended tense, physical, and scoreless.
Just two minutes into the overtime period, Trinity delivered the moment it had been searching for all night. After a neat bit of combination play in midfield between
Alex Ramirez (Houston, Texas / Humble) and
Cade Dougan (Austin, Texas / St. Stephens Episcopal), Ramirez sliced open the Eagles midfield with an inch perfect ball to the feet of
Luke Mayfield (Dallas, Texas / JJ Pearce). Mayfield drove towards the penalty area and slid a clever through ball to the overlapping Theiss, who took two controlled touches, set his feet, and fired a low shot through the goalkeeper's legs at the near post. Jubilation ensued as the entire trinity bench and coaching staff stormed the field in celebration, swarming Theiss near the corner flag as the realization set in.
Trinity is one win away from a national title.
On the defensive end,
Jayden Schell (Dallas, Texas / Plano) turned in a spotless 92-minute display, securing his 10th clean sheet of the year, while turning away all fourteen Emory efforts. Trinity's defensive unit of
Luke Chandler (Glasgow, Scotland / Balfron)
, Alex Baltov (Shreveport, Louisiana / Caddo Parish Magnet)
, Daniel Urquidi (Round Rock, Texas / Round Rock)
, and Mayfield, absorbed relentless pressure, including a heart-stopping moment in the 74th minute when Emory clipped the right post, yet never wavered in its resolve.
Up Next
For the first time since 2007, the Tigers will return to the NCAA Division III National Championship match where they will match up against the No. 1 ranked Tufts University Jumbos on Sunday, December 7th at 12:00 p.m. (ET) in search of their second ever National Championship and first since 2003.