HOUSTON, Texas – The University of St. Thomas men's soccer team's season and SCAC Conference Tournament Championships streak both ended abruptly Sunday afternoon at Sabercats Stadium. The Celts had beaten Trinity in the final the last three years, but the nationally ranked Tigers were a bit too good in 2024 and prevailed 4-2. St. Thomas fought hard throughout the match, showing the resilience and skill that made them 3-time defending champions.

Trinity jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first 18 minutes, but St. Thomas responded quickly. Just a minute after the second goal, senior forward Daniel Castro continued his impressive tournament run, scoring his third goal of the weekend to bring the Celts within one. Later in the half, Castro drew a penalty, but Trinity's goalkeeper Omkar Satpathy made a diving save, allowing Trinity to hold a 2-1 lead at halftime.

In the second half, Trinity scored again in the 66th minute to make it 3-1. Yet the Celts refused to back down, as Jeth Flores scored just seven minutes later to cut the lead to 3-2, showing St. Thomas's resilience. However, a second caution to Ian Alvarez forced the Celts to play a man down for the remainder of regulation. Despite their efforts, Trinity scored in the final minute, sealing the match with a fourth goal.

Trinity outshot St. Thomas 20-11 and held an edge in corners, but the Celts battled every step of the way, making Trinity earn every opportunity.

UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS STATISTICAL STANDOUTS

· Daniel Castro (F): 6 shots, 3 shots on goal, 1 goal

· Jeth Flores (M): 1 shot, 1 shot on goal, 1 goal

· Hani Ahmadie (F): 1 shot, 1 assist

· Diego Lazo (M): 1 assist

· Cristo Gayoso (GK): 90 minutes, 4 goals allowed, 5 saves

NOTABLES

· The Celts' appearance in the SCAC final was their fifth consecutive, a remarkable streak that speaks to the program's consistent success.

· Daniel Castro's goal gave him three for the tournament and a career total of eight SCAC tournament goals, setting the conference record.

· The six combined goals in this match marked the highest-scoring SCAC men's final in history.

· St. Thomas's three-year championship streak may have ended, but they leave the season with pride and the second-longest consecutive SCAC final appearance streak.

This match concludes an impressive season for the Celts, who end with a record of 11-6-2. Although their three-year SCAC title streak comes to a close, the Celts have much to be proud of, with a program that has shown strength, teamwork, and championship character.