A scoreless draw in their home opener could be frustrating — four matches with no wins — but the Creighton men’s soccer team saw it as a step forward. Yes, they wanted to see their hard work result in a win, and of course they wanted to deliver that victory in front of their home crowd. But instead of hanging their heads, the Bluejay staff and goalkeeper spoke of progress, patience and the belief that results will follow.
Welcomed back to Morrison Stadium on Sept. 1, the Bluejays were looking for a breakthrough against Tulsa. Yet, the night played out much like the rest of their season so far — solid defensive stands, bursts of offensive rhythm and near-execution in the final third but no finishing touch.
Creighton controlled possession for much of the opening 30 minutes, holding strong on defense while pressuring Tulsa’s backline. Several offensive sequences threatened a breakthrough, but missed passes and strong defending kept the score even. In the final 15 minutes, Tulsa seized control, firing six shots and testing goalkeeper Matthew Hudson, who, with help from his defenders, kept the Bluejays level at halftime.
With the score stagnant at 0-0 after the break, Creighton applied offensive pressure, outshooting Tulsa 9-4 in the second half. Though the Golden Hurricane managed four more shot attempts, Creighton dominated late, earning six corner kicks in the final 10 minutes and creating several near-chances. The match ultimately ended scoreless and the Bluejays dropped to 0-2-2 on the season.
Despite the 0-0 result, Creighton is focused on growth. Here are three key takeaways from Head Coach Johnny Torres and goalkeeper Matthew Hudson on what went right, what they can build on and why the team remains optimistic.
#1- It’s one step forward, every day. That’s Hudson’s perspective on the scoreless result.
Despite falling just short of the go-ahead goal and their first win, Hudson remained optimistic about what the Bluejays have in store, especially with the tangible progress shown in the team’s clean sheet. And it’s true; the Bluejays have certainly made strides since they stepped on the pitch for their first regular season game at FAU. Every match, the team has become more comfortable with one another and the style of play that Torres expects them to execute. And while the shots might not have fallen this game, Hudson’s first clean sheet of his college career indicated this progress. The redshirt freshman’s composure and his backline’s renewed focus kept the Bluejays tied at a tidy 0-0.
“We did it together,” Hudson said about how he executed the clean sheet. “Obviously, we had a little bit of a rough start, but [the] big thing is just being together as a unit, especially with a lot of new faces, making sure we’re compact together … I couldn’t have done [it] without my team.”
Even more important than the clean sheet against a high-caliber team like Tulsa was what it signaled for the season as a whole: progress.
“We had a tough three road games. They didn’t go our way, but you know, we build every game. We got our first clean sheet. Hey, that’s one step forward. Now, next, we look to Friday … we’re looking to win games too [and] just keep building step by step, day by day,” Hudson said.
The theme of progress has been echoed repeatedly early in the season, as the Bluejays focus on building chemistry, refining their style of play and trusting the process.
#2- It would be worrisome if the chances weren’t manifesting themselves, Torres said. Now, it’s just about converting on them when they come.
Torres may not have wanted his home debut with the new roster to end in a scoreless draw, but he emphasized that the Bluejays still created opportunities. In the second half against Tulsa, the Bluejays outshot the Golden Hurricane 9-4 and earned six corner kicks, with five different players taking shots. None of these chances paid dividends, but they illustrated the promise this team shows in the attacking third, especially when multiple Bluejays are contributing to the pressure up front.
“The important thing is that we’re still creating chances,” Torres said. “I thought we were doing a good job to break in lines vertically rather than playing on the perimeter, whether there’s filtered passes through defensive lines or we’re beating people off the dribble.”
But converting on these opportunities starts with set pieces, which seemed to be Creighton’s biggest advantage and greatest frustration. Each corner and free kick offered a prime chance to take the lead, but none found the back of the net.
Not only did converting on set pieces prove challenging, but Creighton’s inability to convert in the offensive third also came thanks to a multitude of fouls that created turnovers. Throughout the match, the Bluejays fouled 21 times while Tulsa only racked up 13.
It is one thing to be aggressive on the ball and fight for possession, but when each turnover grinds the developing offensive sequence to a halt, sustaining momentum in the offensive third is nearly impossible.
Thus, the Bluejays faced the perfect storm in their scoring struggles, with fouls cutting possessions short at critical moments and set pieces narrowly missing, leaving them still chasing the decisive finishing touch.
Torres is right—the Bluejays created plenty of opportunities, but turning those chances into goals and limiting fouls as much as possible are crucial next steps if Creighton wants to get a tally in the win column.
#3- Freshmen are settling in, confidence is growing and Torres understands that’s the spark that can change matches.
You can teach all the fundamentals you want, but without confidence on the field, fundamentals don’t translate into results — and that’s exactly the challenge Torres is navigating as he tries to get his new roster in sync.
But as matches have gone on, the freshmen on the team have gotten more comfortable on the pitch, beginning to make impacts on play, a promising sign for the team’s future. Midfielder Ayden Kokoszka offered a glimpse of his talent with a strong play on the left side, while first-year defender Brian Edelman and midfielder Lucas Cavalcante made their presence felt in key moments.
The common thread? An increased sense of belief in themselves and the team, nurtured by Torres and his staff through deliberate reminders of each player’s value.
“We just have to continue to coach them up, continue to explain to them that we still believe in what they bring. As long as they believe in the game plan and our system and believe in themselves, things are going to fall. And that’s what I told them after the game. That was the message,” Torres said.
Thus, belief is the key — when the freshmen trust themselves and the system, their promising contributions can become the game-changing plays that deliver a breakthrough for the Bluejays. The question is how fast this belief can manifest itself on the field.
With four straight home matches ahead, the Bluejays will first look to take that ‘step forward’ mentality and turn it into results as they host No. 15 Denver for Socctoberfest Friday at 7:45 p.m.
“Denver’s one of the best in the business. [It’s] no coincidence why they were in the Final Four last year… They’re well organized. They have a lot of energy. They’re not afraid to roll up their sleeves and defend…, claw and get after it,” Torres said. “They’re quite dangerous on the transition too, so it’ll definitely be a tall order… but one that we’re up for.”
