TIGERS AND FIGHTING SAINTS PLAY TO 2-2 STALEMATE ON THE ROAD

JOLIET, Ill. ­– Olivet Nazarene University's (ONU) men's soccer team earned a 2-2 draw on the road Saturday against the Fighting Saints of the University of St. Francis. The Tigers took an early lead and battled through a tightly contested match, but two second-half goals from St. Francis, including a penalty, forced the game to end in a stalemate. 

ONU came out strong in the first half, wasting no time in getting on the scoreboard. In just the 5th minute, Philip Joergensen opened the scoring for the Tigers, finishing a well-placed pass from Mounir Azzam to put ONU ahead 1-0. The Tigers continued to push forward, creating several chances, but were unable to extend their lead before halftime, going into the break with a slim advantage.

The second half saw St. Francis ramp up their pressure, and they finally found the equalizer in the 65th minute to tie the game 1-1. ONU responded with determination, and in the 79th minute, Adrian Kang Hagman restored the lead with a clinical finish, assisted by Joergensen and Azzam, making it 2-1. However, St. Francis quickly struck back, earning a penalty kick in the 80th minute and converting it to level the game at 2-2. Despite both teams pushing for a winner in the closing minutes, the match ended in a hard-fought draw.

Looking Ahead

The Tigers will hit the road again for a conference match against the Saints of Holy Cross College on October 8th, with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m. CST. ONU will look to bounce back and secure a victory in their next contest.

Quick Hits

• Final Score: Olivet Nazarene University 2, University of St. Francis 2
• Joergensen 4:04, Hagman 78:41

--ONU—

*Contact Anyssa Hampton, Sports Information Graduate Assistant, ahampton@olivet.edu