HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll Men's Soccer team defended their pitch on Thursday evening, picking up a 2-0 win over Oregon Tech in the 2025 home opener on Valley Bank Field at Nelson Stadium.
Back into the receiving votes portion of the NAIA Men's Soccer Coaches' Poll, the Fighting Saints (6-1-1, 4-0-0) are really rounding into form heading into a long stretch of home games in the month of October. They kicked off the month with a 2-0 blanking of the Hustlin' Owls (4-2-3, 2-2-0), setting the stage for a clash with fellow conference-unbeaten Southern Oregon on Saturday.
"What a day." said Head Coach Austin Shick "I didn't fully know what to expect, but we prepared for our opponent as methodically as we could. Credit to the boys - they really responded to what we have asked of them. We broke their (OIT) shape early and played so well in that first 45."
Following a two-month wait for their first official home game, 2024 CCC Newcomer of the Year
Alfie Snow (Middlesbrough, England / SR) made sure Saints fans didn't have to wait long to see their first goal. The Englishman wiggled his way around a defender in the box, and buried a shot into the back right corner in just the third minute to put Carroll on top early, 1-0.
In the 29th minute, fellow Englishman
Sam Loughton (East Yorkshire, England / JR) would double the Carroll advantage. The captain lofted a shot into the top right of the net from the left side of the box, thanks to a great set up from
Joseph Satterthwaite (Las Vegas, Nev. / SR) to give the Saints more than enough ammo to win the game.
"Alfie took his chance brilliantly to slot-in the opener, and then we were able to follow up quickly with a second. We might have even been unlucky to not get a penalty or another goal that looked like it might go in, but either way, 2-0 is a really good half.
The second stanza was all Carroll as well, as the Saints dominated possession and limited Oregon Tech's opportunities. Goalkeeper
Juan Muniz Navarrete (Hermiston, Ore. / GR) has his backline to thank, following their terrific effort that saw a clean sheet with no recorded saves. While the shutout didn't require much work from the keeper, Muniz Navarrete extended his program-record for shutouts to 25.
"We're home for the next month, and it's such a great opportunity. To be able to play at Nelson in front of our friends and families is awesome. We know we have the potential to do something special this year, but it has to be one minute - one game - at a time."
"Hopefully we can just keep building on this success."
The Saints have a prime opportunity to establish themselves as the top dogs in the league on Saturday, as they welcome (RV) Southern Oregon for a 2:30 p.m. tilt with the top of the table on the line.
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Visit www.carrollathletics.com Saturday evening for a full recap of the action, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.
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