ALLY SEEVERS/THE CREIGHTONIAN
Three days after letting a three-goal lead slip away against Saint Mary’s, No. 14 Creighton men’s soccer answered with a 3-1 victory over Yale on Senior Day on Sunday at Morrison Stadium.
Before kickoff, Creighton honored seven players — seniors Matthew Reed, Andrija Savic, Edward Morales and Diego Ferruzzi, along with fifth-year transfers Clayton Brooks, Allan Juarez and Amari Thompson. After a difficult week that also saw freshman Carter Tavares leave the Saint Mary’s match with an injury, the Bluejays used Sunday to reset before the start of Big East play.
“[I’m] delighted for the boys to be able to come out and get a result against a very good Yale team,” head coach Johnny Torres said. “It was a tough weekend with us relinquishing a three-goal lead to Saint Mary’s and ultimately having Carter [Tavares] go down with an injury in that match, so it was great to see the boys react today and be able to come off with the three points.”
Early in the game, Yale made that response difficult. The Bulldogs sat deep defensively, putting five defenders behind the ball and packing as many as eight players inside the box. Creighton controlled much of the first half but had to find different ways to break through.
“[Yale was] very organized. They were diligent in making it difficult for us to find spaces in the attacking third … [I’m] so very proud of the guys for staying true to our brand, looking for different ways to be able to find seams to get into the box and ultimately … breakthrough,” Torres said.
The Bluejays finally found their opening with less than three minutes remaining in the first half.
Reed threaded a pass to Savic on the right side of the box, whose initial shot was blocked. The senior defender recovered and found sophomore Ayden Kokoszka, who finished the chance with 42:44 on the clock to give Creighton a 1-0 lead heading into the break.
Creighton doubled its advantage nine minutes into the second half thanks to a pair of true freshmen. Omaha native Jordan Igwenma helped set up midfielder Carter Derksen at the top of the box, who found the back of the net for his first collegiate goal.
“Derksen is a cerebral player,” Torres said. “He’s a very technical player. He’s the type of guy that sits in the midfield and does a lot of good things both offensively and defensively. He’s a player that understands tempo, [and] understands positioning, so to be able to cap off the night with his first Bluejay goal is special.”
In the 83rd minute, Reed stepped up to the penalty spot and converted, extending Creighton’s lead to 3-0 while scoring his seventh goal in six consecutive matches.
The scoring streak puts the two-time co-captain in rare company in Creighton history, joining Mike Tranchilla, who scored in six straight matches in 2001, and Duncan McGuire, who matched that feat in 2022 before extending his streak to seven. Tranchilla was a two-time MAC Hermann Trophy finalist and a 2002 First-Team All-American, while McGuire went on to win the 2022 MAC Hermann Trophy. Reed was named to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List in August.
“It’s an honor, to be honest, to be named on a list with Duncan McGuire. He’s a really special player, and he’s a good friend of mine,” Reed said.
When Reed arrived in Omaha in 2023, he appeared in eight matches and logged just under 170 minutes. His role grew to 18 appearances and 16 starts as a sophomore before he became one of Creighton’s most productive defenders as a junior. In 2025, the Felton, Delaware, product recorded three goals, four assists and 10 points while earning United Soccer Coaches First Team All-West Region and All-Big East Second Team honors.
For Torres, Reed’s development has been one of the most rewarding parts of having him in the program for four years.
“Reed … stepped onto our campus as a young 18-year-old four years ago,” Torres said. “The amount of growth he’s done both on the pitch, in the classroom and developing into a young man is marvelous.”
Savic, a 6-foot-4 defender from Belgrade, Serbia, has been a consistent presence in Creighton’s back line since moving into the starting lineup as a freshman in 2023. The two-time co-captain played every minute of the Bluejays’ 2024 season, totaling 1,620 minutes, and started all 15 matches he appeared in last season while helping Creighton record six shutouts.
“He’s been a soldier,” Torres said. “He plays sick, he plays hurt, he plays tired, he plays sore. You can’t keep the guy off the field — [he] never complains.”
Morales has made his own impact on the program, both on and off the field.
The McAllen, Texas, product did not play during his freshman season in 2023 but became a regular contributor over the next two seasons, appearing in 16 matches each year. He owns a pair of goals and three assists across his collegiate career.
“Morales has been a steadfast positive vibe on and off the field,” Torres said. “He’s got this unbelievable spirit and personality that lights up a room.”
An injury kept Morales from taking the field on Senior Day, but Torres expects him to have an opportunity to return later this season.
Ferruzzi’s path through the Creighton program has looked different from the other four-year seniors. After playing his freshman season at Central Arkansas, the McKinney, Texas native transferred to Creighton and initially saw limited playing time, appearing in three matches as a sophomore and eight as a junior. Ferruzzi’s role has continued to grow, and Torres saw that development on display Sunday.
Ferruzzi came into the midfield and helped Creighton maintain control while contributing defensively as the Bluejays protected their lead.
“Ferruzzi put in an unbelievable shift today to come into the midfield, be able to rotate the ball, defend [and] be gritty when he needed to be,” Torres said. “It just makes me so proud to see what Diego has become as a Bluejay.”
Among the seven players honored were graduate transfers Juarez, Brooks and Thompson, who all joined Creighton this fall for their final collegiate seasons. Torres said the three fit the type of players the program looks for in recruiting and added that he only wished he had more time with them.
Each senior honored arrived at Creighton through a different path and took on a different role within the program, but for Reed, the relationships built over the years are what will last beyond his time as a Bluejay.
“From the moment I stepped on campus, it felt like I was a part of a new brotherhood,” Reed said.
“These guys will be my friends for the rest of my life, and I’m grateful for that,” he added.
Yale scored in the 88th minute, but the Bluejays held on for the 3-1 victory, outshooting the Bulldogs 16-9 and controlling most of the possession.
The win moved Creighton to 6-0-2 on the season and moved the Bluejays to No. 14 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll. Creighton has been ranked for three consecutive weeks.
Now, the Bluejays turn their attention to Big East play, opening conference play tonight against Providence at 7:30 p.m. at Morrison Stadium.