The men’s soccer team stunned 23rd ranked Missouri State at homein the first round of the NCAA Tournament,where two late Creighton goals resulted in a 2-1 win, sending theBluejaystothe second round.
On Nov 17, the Bluejays entered Morrison Stadiumfor the last time in the 2022 season,scoring two goals in the final eight minutes to secure a place in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
The conditions were frigidand the fans excited as the Jays entered Morrison Stadium to face a 23rd ranked Missouri State team who had tied but notlost a match since the end of September.
As the match began, the Bluejays stuck to their game plan, practicing patience with ball progression onto the Bears’ half, but Missouri State’sdefense made it difficult for Creighton to find any openings.
On the other end of the pitch, fifth year senior goalkeeper Paul Kruse led the Creighton defense. After a series of back-and-forth possessions where neither team’s defense relented, Kruse made an acrobatic save on an attempt in the top right of the goal by Missouri State in the 40th minute, jumping to deflect the ball out of play and keep the match tied at0-0.
Creighton’s closest scoring chance came in the 45th minute, when a header from senior midfielder Charles Auguste hit off the top of the crossbar, before a second attempt by Creighton went wide right and out of play.
At the half, the match was still scoreless at 0-0.
Coming out of the half, Missouri State took advantage early. On a pass that got behind the Creighton defense in the 47th minute, the Bears capitalized on the one-on-one opportunity, taking control of the match 1-0.
“You’ve just got to believe to the end,” fifth year senior midfielder Alejandro Maillet stated. “The soccer match only ends after ninety minutes, and the last ten minutes are probably where the most goals are scored, so you just have to believe and get through.”
With ten minutes left in the match, the Creighton Bluejays still found themselves in a 0-1 deficit. However, they stuck to their game plan, playing patiently and waiting for the right opportunity to equalize.
In the 83rd minute, Crieghton saw their opportunity, as senior midfielder Callum Watson threw a long-range throw-in just outside the eighteen–yard box, connecting with senior defender Jake Ashford, who headed the ball towards the goal. The shot was blocked by Missouri State but came right back to Ashford, who sent a right-footed strike past the goalkeeper and into the top left corner of the goal, tying the match 1-1.
“We needed one,” Ashford said. “We’re a phenomenal attacking team, so when a team can hold us like they did, obviously you need some other people to step up.”
Just five minutes later, as fifth-year senior midfielder Alejandro Maillet ran into the eighteen-yard box, junior forward Duncan Mcguire sent a forward pass to the feet of Maillet, who took the shot. His first shot attempt was blocked as the Missouri State goalkeeper left his line to defend, and the ball launched into the air.Maillet connected with the ball through three Missouri State players, knocking home the winning goal, making the score 2-1.
Following the match, head coach Johnny Torres commented on his team and the toughness they have shown.
“I just can’t commend them enough for continuing to stay patient because it’s very easy to lose your patience, to become erratic, and deviate from what the game plan is, and the guys had a lot of opportunities to do that,” Torres stated. “Missouri State did such a great job to defend, but[Creighton] stuck to their guns, and they continued to be diligent. I’m really proud of them.”
The Jays advanced to the second round of the tournament to take on 2ndranked Washington.
“We know going into it, it’s going to be a hostile territory and we know it’s going to be a challenging match, but we’re up for it,” Torres stated. “I look for nothing but success when we go out to Washington.”