Sixteen matches down, and No. 9 Creighton men’s soccer has yet to be beaten. 

The Bluejays continued their historic start Saturday night, scoring five goals from five different players in a 5-1 victory over Butler at Morrison Stadium. The win improved Creighton to 11-0-5 overall and 3-0-3 in Big East play, moving the team into sole possession of first place in the Midwest Division. 

Creighton’s unbeaten start through 16 matches marks just the second time in program history the Bluejays have reached the milestone, joining the 1993 squad. Creighton also remains one of only two undefeated teams in Division I, alongside No. 1 Southern Methodist University (SMU). 

The victory marked a timely breakthrough for Creighton, which entered Saturday following three consecutive 1-1 draws, including a pair of ranked matchups at Akron and Xavier. The Bluejays, who entered the stretch as the nation’s leading offense, had scored just three goals across those matches. Against Butler, Creighton rediscovered its scoring touch early, finding the net five times to turn the page. 

“It was welcomed,” head coach Johnny Torres said of the offensive performance. “I felt like not just the combinations, but the timing of our movements looked pretty good in the attacking third … It was good to get off the mark a little bit and then score a couple goals.” 

Creighton made its intentions clear in the 12th minute when sophomore Ayden Kokoszka redirected a pass from Derksen into the net for his seventh goal of the season. 

The Bluejays doubled their lead just before halftime. In the 39th minute, junior transfer Angel Lopez finished off Derksen’s second assist of the night, scoring his eighth goal of the season to send Creighton into the break ahead 2-0. 

Creighton carried that momentum into the second half. Fifth-year transfer Allan Juarez chipped in a pass from senior Edward Morales in the 49th minute to extend the lead to three. 

Butler responded in the 61st minute when Kiel Higginson scored to cut the deficit to 3-1. The Bulldogs had little time to build on the goal, however, as Creighton answered just 26 seconds later. Derksen delivered his third assist of the night to junior Bautista Rossi, who scored his first goal of the season to restore the three-goal cushion. 

Freshman Jordan Igwenma added the final goal in the 84th minute, finishing a long pass from junior defender Brian Edelman to seal the 5-1 victory. 

The five-goal performance marked a return to the offensive rhythm Creighton had displayed earlier in the season. Derksen said the team’s intensity and confidence were key to breaking through after the three draws. 

“We were frustrated with our performances, especially against Akron and Xavier,” freshman Carter Derksen said.  

“I feel like we’ve lacked intensity and confidence the last few weeks,” he added. “We really got it back tonight.” 

Derksen’s three assists helped facilitate a balanced scoring effort. Five different Bluejays found the net, and Saturday marked the sixth match this season in which at least four Creighton players have scored. 

Torres praised Derksen’s development throughout his freshman season, crediting the midfielder’s soccer IQ and background with Sporting Kansas City for helping him make an immediate impact. 

“For him to be a freshman and doing the things that he’s doing is very impressive,” Torres said. “He’s got to believe in himself. He’s got the IQ, and we believe in him.” 

Saturday’s match also marked the return of freshman Carter Tavares, who had been sidelined by a serious injury on Sept. 10. Tavares, who recorded 13 points in his first seven matches, made his way back onto the field against Butler. 

“It was a bonus that he was able to come back,” Torres said. “I really thought we had lost him for the season.” 

Torres credited Creighton’s strength and conditioning coach Scott Bankers, athletic trainer James Benzel and the broader athletic department staff for supporting Tavares throughout his recovery.  

“It takes a village, right?” Torres said. “But man, it was so sweet to see him back on the pitch … not just for himself, but for our group.” 

The victory also strengthened Creighton’s position in the conference standings. Combined with Xavier’s first loss of the season at Akron, the result moved the Bluejays into sole possession of first place in the Midwest Division with two regular season matches remaining. 

Creighton appeared at No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll released Oct. 27, marking its ninth consecutive week in the rankings and sixth straight week in the top 10. 

The Bluejays will face their toughest remaining test Friday when they travel to Washington, D.C., to take on No. 2 Georgetown at 5 p.m. With an undefeated record and first place in the division on the line, Creighton will look to carry Saturday’s offensive momentum into Friday’s top-10 matchup, which will air on ESPN+. 

“We understand that it’s a tall order, but we’re really looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be an exciting game for our conference and both programs,” Torres said.