HOUSTON, Texas -- Fourth-seeded University of St. Thomas won its third-straight SCAC Men's Soccer Tournament championship on Sunday evening, advancing past second-seeded Trinity University 3-2 in penalty kicks to earn the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. Official Championships Website | Photo Album | Tournament Stats
Sunday's championship is the fourth men's title match to be resolved with penalty kicks and the first since Centenary defeated St. Thomas, 5-3 on PKs at the 2020-21 tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After receiving a straight red just over five minutes into the contest, St. Thomas was forced to play a man down for the remainder of the evening.
- Trinity, however, was unable to take advantage and the two game remained scoreless through regulation and two 10 minute overtime periods.
- A physical match that saw six yellow cards in addition to the one red, Trinity was whistled for 14 fouls to St. Thomas’ 12.
- St. Thomas outshot Trinity, 10-6, and had three shots on goal to none for Trinity, but the Tigers doubled up the Celts 12-6 in corners.
- Trinity, who went first in the shootout, missed two of its first four PK attempts while St. Thomas was successful on three of its first four, setting up a must make for the Tigers on their fifth try. St. Thomas keeper Gustavo Otero was up to the task, stopping an attempt from Chen Adjei which sealed the Celts' berth into the NCAA tournament.
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Daniel Castro (F): 3 shots, 1 shot on goal
- Jayce Nunn (D): 2 shots, 2 shots on goal
- Gustavo Otero (GK): 110 minutes played, 0 goals allowed
TRINITY UNIVERSITY STATISTICAL STANDOUTS
- Chen Adjei (F): 2 shots
- Braden Shuey (M): 2 shots
- Austin Wilman (GK): 110 minutes played, 0 goals allowed, three saves
NOTABLES
- St. Thomas has now appeared in four-straight SCAC Tournament finals, the second-longest streak in league history, trailing only Trinity who advanced to seven-straight from 2012-2018.
- Daniel Castro, who was named the Tournament's Offensive MVP, is just the second player in SCAC history to score multiple goal in consecutive SCAC Tournaments, joining TLU’s Luis Green (2018-2019). He is also just the third player to earn two Tournament Offensive MVP awards, following Johnny Lawson of Trinity (2012 and 2014) and Christian Sakshaug of Trinity (2016 and 2017).
- St. Thomas' Angel Ramirez was selected as the Tournament Defensive MVP, which was his second such honor as well, earning the distinction at the end of the 2021 championship. Trinity's Tom Carwile, who was Defensive MVP of the 2014 and 2015 championships, is the only other two time winner of the award.
- The two total goals scored by St. Thomas at this year's event ties for the fewest goals scored by any SCAC Tournament champion in league history, joining Centenary from 2020-21 championship and St. Thomas from 2021.
- Trinity’s Austin Wilman became just the seventh goalie in SCAC Tournament history to post a perfect 0.00 goals-against average while playing a minimum of two games.
- St. Thomas is the first fourth seed to win the SCAC Men's Soccer Tournament since going to a top four qualify event in 2021. The only higher seed to win the event was Centenary as the No. 6 seed at the 2020-21 championship, which was held in the spring due to the COVID pandemic.
- St. Thomas improves to 3-0-1 all-time against Trinity in the SCAC Tournament. The Celts' three tournament titles are now second all-time, trailing only the TU Tigers who have seven. St. Thomas is now 6-0-3 all-time in SCAC Tournament history.
- Trinity is now 19-6-3 all-time in SCAC Tournament action.
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
- Curtis Hale, Jr., D (Colorado College)
- Charlie Wagner, Jr., M (Colorado College)
- Reagan Fortner, Sr., D (Southwestern University)
- Michael Grimm, Jr., M (Southwestern University)
- Austin Wilman, Sr., GK (Trinity University)
- Louie Instrall, Sr., M (Trinity University)
- Braden Shuey, Jr., M (Trinity University)
- Ian Alvarez, Sr., F (University of St. Thomas)
- Gustavo Otero, So., GK (University of St. Thomas)
- Angel Ramirez, Jr., D (University of St. Thomas) – Tournament Defensive MVP
- Daniel Castro, Jr., F (University of St. Thomas) – Tournament Offensive MVP
UP NEXT
As SCAC tournament champions, St. Thomas (13-3-2), will receive the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III tournament and will find out its opponent when brackets are released tomorrow. Trinity, which slips to 12-2-3, will await word of a possible at-large berth into the NCAA tournament field when brackets are announced tomorrow.
