The weather was a near-perfect 78 degrees and sunny, ideal for soccer as the Creighton Bluejays took the field against the Villanova Wildcats on Saturday afternoon.
With the stakes high and crucial conference points on the line, the Bluejays entered the match determined to build on their momentum, aware that each contest is critical as they fight to stay in contention for the Big East Tournament.
Villanova, winless in conference play but full of determination, arrived eager to turn their fortunes around. Yet, despite a spirited second-half response, Creighton prevailed 3-1, marking their second consecutive Big East win.
It didn’t take long for the Jays to take the lead, as senior midfielder Jackson Castro put Creighton on the scoreboard just 15 minutes into the match.
“We came out with a lot of intensity,” Castro said. “We know that when we play simple, we play quick and we stick to the game plan, we’re going to create chances.”
Freshman Aaron Deppe initiated the sequence, finding his captain in open space. Castro carried the ball into the corner of the box, faking one direction before quickly switching and evading the defender. With space to shoot, the senior unleashed a powerful shot that curved into the net, flying past the diving goalkeeper to give the Jays an early lead.
The goal marked Castro’s second in the last three matches, signaling a return to form after a hot start to the season with three early goals. Despite a stretch where the Bluejays struggled to convert chances, the Texas native remained undeterred, showing no signs of hesitation before striking the ball to open scoring for the Jays.
“I think that’s my best type of shot, that cutting in and hitting it. I practice that all the time, and I just decided to hit it,” Castro said. “I have been scoring recently, I scored two games ago, so I felt confident enough to hit it.”
The Jays doubled their advantage in the 42nd minute, when senior defender Mark O’Neill scored on a set piece. After trading a series of shots, Creighton earned its lone corner of the first half, taken by Castro. His ball ricocheted off the shoulder of senior Sean Green and fell to O’Neill, who calmly slotted it home for his second goal of the season.
Creighton went into the break with a 2-0 lead, outshooting Villanova 7-5, but the Wildcats emerged from the locker room with renewed energy, forcing junior goalkeeper Blake Gillingham into his first real test of the match.
Following an early shot and a pair of corners, Jake Bourgey found the back of the net in the 55th minute, slicing the Bluejay lead in half.
Villanova’s celebration echoed throughout the stadium, bringing with it a sense of impending déjà vu, as memories of past heartbreaks hung in the air.
“You always hear about the most dangerous lead in soccer in a 2-0 lead, and we go over it. We talked about it, ‘don’t come out flat,’ and we came out flat,” Head Coach Johnny Torres said. “Without disrespecting Villanova, it’s a play where we’re giving them the ball in our defensive third, so we have to minimize these types of mistakes and these types of lapses, especially when we’re up two goals.”
Though the sting of past losses lingered in the back of their minds, the players weren’t about to let history repeat itself. As a storm of pressure loomed, the Bluejays didn’t flinch.
With composure in the face of rising intensity, the Jays found a lifeline through sophomore midfielder Miguel Arilla. Seizing the moment when it was needed most, Arilla delivered a crucial insurance goal in the 78th minute, coming out of the blue to seal the victory for Creighton.
“We have had some painful lessons this season, and I credit the guys for… recomposing themselves and getting back into the match and taking control,” Torres said. “It’s not easy to do that. You can kind of get tense after that 2-1 arises and you can implode, so these guys did a good job to manage it and get back on top.”
Senior midfielder Lucio Berron set up Arilla’s moment of brilliance, fending off a defender and slipping the ball to Arilla just outside the Creighton box. The Spaniard then dodged a sliding challenge before racing over 60 yards, weaving through the scrambling defenders. As he approached the top of Villanova’s box, Arilla created space and hammered a powerful shot off his left-foot. The ball ripped through the air, slipping past the outstretched hands of the goalkeeper and nestling into the corner of the net.
“When I got the ball, I turned, I didn’t see any teammates, so I just thought [to] keep going, and that’s what I did,” Arilla said. “I kept going, and when I got to the box, I tried to find the space and hit it.”
“It feels awesome, not only for the goal, but for the victory back home against a Big East team. Getting three points, it’s really important for us,” Arilla added. “Not only the goal, the goal is like an accident, but it’s confidence for the team.”
The goal was the sophomore’s third goal of the season, despite sitting out a series of matches due to injury.
“It was a special goal,” Torres said. “He’s a type of player that can balance the defense on his own.”
“Only he can do that,” Castro added. “I don’t think anybody else in the Big East can do that except him. He’s brilliant.”
The Creighton defense stood firm in the final 12 minutes, denying Villanova any opportunity to regain momentum. Although the Wildcats earned a set of corners as time dwindled, the Bluejays held their ground, effectively neutralizing the threats and maintaining their advantage.
The seniors understood the weight of the moment, knowing that their time playing in front of the home crowd was running out. After losing their last two games at Morrison, they were determined to protect their lead and finish strong.
“It’s pretty huge for everybody, but especially for the seniors,” Castro said on earning the win at home. “This is my second-to-last game at Morrison in the regular season, so we all talked… like ‘This is our last couple games at Morrison. We have to win here. We have to get results here.’”
The win, Creighton’s third straight, provided a much-needed boost after a tough stretch earlier in the season. With seven points, the Jays now sit in second place in the Midwest Division alongside Marquette with three games remaining in conference play.
“The feeling in the team is much better. Once you get momentum, the people are happier. People get along better. Everything is just going better,” Castro said. “I also think that going through that [stretch of losses] helped our relationship with each other because we were able to suffer through the tie at Providence, the loss to Missouri State and kind of bounce back from that and just grow together.”
Creighton will need to carry this momentum with them as they travel to Ohio to face No. 25 Akron Wednesday night. The Zips sit atop the Big East Midwest Division standings and remain undefeated in conference play. For Creighton, a result in Akron is vital to securing a spot in the Big East Tournament. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.