Every game’s a coin flip. Every team’s a threat. That’s life in the Big East — and no one understands that better than the 7-3-3 Creighton men’s soccer team. Battling week in and week out to secure the top spot in the Midwest Division, the Bluejays (10 points) currently hold a slim one-win lead over Akron and Butler (seven points each), who occupy second and third place. Xavier (five points), DePaul (one point) and Marquette (zero points) round out the Midwest Division.
Over in the East Division, Georgetown maintains a firm grip on first with 13 points and an undefeated 4-0-1 conference record. Seton Hall sits in second, followed closely by UConn and Providence. All three have nine points. St. John’s rounds out the middle of the pack with seven points, while Villanova lingers just behind with six.
With nothing guaranteed, every match carries extra weight. Creighton nearly let their road matchup against the Villanova Wildcats on Oct. 17 slip away, but a late goal secured a 1–1 draw, earning a crucial point to keep the Bluejays atop the Midwest Division. Still, the result narrowed the gap between Creighton and the chasing pack, tightening the race even further.
Offense was on full display from the opening whistle at Higgins Soccer Complex, both teams attacking at breakneck speed. In just the second minute of the match, redshirt freshman midfielder Brady Bragg fielded a pass down the right sideline, heading the ball down to his feet before racing toward the net and taking a shot that slid just six inches wide of goal.
Five minutes later, Villanova countered with a break of its own. As a Villanova attacker charged down the field, redshirt freshman goalkeeper Matthew Hudson sprang off his line to challenge the play. Hudson barely redirected the ball, but the rebound fell again to the Wildcat, who faced Creighton defenders Matthew Reed and Andrija Savic closing in to cut off the angle. The combination of pressure and misdirection relieved Creighton of the early deficit, as the Villanova striker missed just wide.
Following the early shooting barrage, the Bluejays maintained possession for a majority of the half, crafting offensive sequences that nearly found the back of the net but were staved off by the Villanova defense.
The final standout chance of the half came from sophomore midfielder Ismael Reyes who, after subbing in for Bragg just three minutes earlier, found himself pushing downfield and challenging Villanova’s goalkeeper one-on-one. The shot looked destined to break the deadlock, but the Wildcat keeper made a clutch save, keeping the game level heading into halftime.
Though the score remained stagnant at 0-0 at the break, the stats showed a dominant Bluejay offense going to work to break down the Villanova defense. Creighton took 10 shots in the half, more than double the four shots that Villanova successfully got off against the Bluejay defense. Creighton also forced Villanova to execute five saves to keep the match even and defend against five corner kicks in the first 45 minutes. The challenge for the Bluejays in the second half would be breaking down the Villanova defense enough to secure the first score.
However, it was the Wildcats that would strike first on home turf. After opening the latter 45 minutes with two shots — one of which was a near-goal called offsides in the 51st minute — and giving up two shot attempts to the visiting Bluejays, Villanova was awarded a penalty kick in the 75th minute. With a strong strike, the Wildcats overcame the daunting 0-0 deadlock to take the lead with 15 minutes left to play.
A credit to Creighton’s aggressive game plan, the Bluejays didn’t give up another shot attempt the rest of the half, holding Villanova to just three while racking up six attempts of their own in the final 15 minutes.
It was the Bluejays’ sixth strike that finally paid dividends and secured the equalizer. Anticipating junior midfielder Miguel Arilla’s positioning on the right side of the field, graduate forward Martin Herrera found his teammate. Arilla quickly dished a dribbling ball to the awaiting foot of sophomore forward Bautista Rossi who wasted no time taking the shot. The ball blew past the Villanova keeper into the bottom left of the net, leveling the score at one apiece.
With time dwindling, the Bluejays fired off two more shots but the 90 minutes ran out too quickly, leaving the score in an even 1-1 draw.
The Bluejays once again controlled the stat sheet in the second half, outshooting the Wildcats 8-3 and earning a 3-2 edge in corner kicks.
From start to finish, the Bluejays commanded with an 18-7 edge in shots, forcing seven saves from the Villanova goalkeeper while keeping their own net untouched.
Yet over 90 minutes, the statistics told only part of the story; the play on the pitch revealed the deeper challenges of Big East competition. No conference win comes easy — especially on an opponent’s home turf. The 1-1 final score — though Creighton dominated across nearly every statline — underscored the vital importance of patience in the box and flawless execution of key offensive plays at decisive moments.
Next, the Bluejays travel to face the Butler Bulldogs in their final road match of the regular season on Oct. 25, where turning their shot advantage into goals will be key to holding onto the Midwest Division lead. While Butler presents a formidable challenge, head coach Johnny Torres noted the importance of securing all three points for maintaining Creighton’s top spot in the standings.
“There’s nine points to be had with three matches left. It’s great to be sitting at the top of the Midwest Division, but we understand there’s a lot of talent below and they’re not too far away,” Torres said. “ … We have to create that gap, or that cushion, so three points [at Butler] will be well taken.”