CHICAGO – The Saint Xavier University men's soccer team (5-2, 0-0 CCAC) won its third consecutive match in thrilling fashion, overcoming a late push from NCAA Division II Purdue University Northwest, to come away with a 3-2 victory Tuesday evening at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago, Ill. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Daniel Martinez (Cicero, Ill./Morton East) finished the match with a career-high 11 saves, six coming in the second half, and two in the final five minutes, including a stop with just two seconds left to secure the win.

In the final minute of action there was a flurry of action with four yellow cards issued and a penalty committed by the Cougars inside the 18-yard box with :35 remaining in the match. The ensuing penalty kick attempt by the Pride hit the crossbar and SXU hung on for the non-conference triumph. Overall, PNW outshot Saint Xavier, 25-8, including a 14-1 margin in the final 30 minutes.

• Redshirt senior forward Jaedan Aguilera (Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere North) scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season while adding an assist.
• Junior midfielder Mark Vitaliy Hul (Ternopil, Ukraine/Moraine Valley/TSSH No. 29) netted his third goal of the year in 81 minutes of play.
• Sophomore forward Diego Garcia (Chicago, Ill./Hope Academy) recorded his second goal of the 2025 campaign in 63 minutes off the bench.
• Junior midfielder/forward Yael Diaz (Chicago, Ill./Moraine Valley/Hubbard) collected his second assist of the season while playing all 90 minutes.
• Purdue Northwest scored first in the ninth minute after Martinez stopped a shot from the right side, however the Pride corralled the rebounded and sent the ball past Martinez.
• Just under two minutes later, Aguilera had the ball in front of the net from 20 yards out and found Hul coming in from the left side, who hit the back of the net in the 11^th minute to square the match at 1-1.
• Aguilera tallied a goal for the third consecutive match, taking a long pass from Diaz, his shot from the left side hit the right post and bounced over the goal line to put the Cougars up 2-1 in the 29^th minute.
• In the 51^st minute, Garcia intercepted a clearing attempt and put a shot past the goalkeeper from the right side to extend the lead to 3-1.
• PNW converted a penalty kick in the 53^rd minute. They amped up the pressure from there, however Purdue Northwest could not get the equalizer.

Saint Xavier (5-2/0-0 CCAC) wraps up non-conference play on Saturday, September 20, when they travel to Huntington, Ind. to play Huntington University. The match is scheduled for a 5:00 pm central start.