CHICAGO – Senior midfielder/forward
Yael Diaz (Chicago, Ill./Moraine Valley/Hubbard) scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season on a penalty kick (PK), however the Saint Xavier University men's soccer team (6-10-1/2-4-1 CCAC) lost 2-1 to No. 1 ranked Olivet Nazarene University in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) finale and regular season finale for both programs Wednesday evening at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago, Ill. With his converted PK, Diaz is now 4-for-4 on penalty kick opportunities this year. Redshirt senior goalkeeper
Daniel Martinez (Cicero, Ill./Morton East) tallied six saves for SXU in the loss.
Prior to the match, Saint Xavier recognized 10 seniors on 'Senior Night'. Diaz, along with forward
Mark Vitaliy Hul (Ternopil, Ukraine/Moraine Valley/TSSH No. 29), defender
Yair Lopez (Chicago, Ill./Lane Tech), forward
Dorian Mahone (Carol Stream, Ill./Willowbrook), Martinez, midfielder
Mauri Martinez (Chicago, Ill./Argo Community) defender
Sebastian Palma (Chicago, Ill./Mount Carmel), defender/goalkeeper
Neil Soans (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central), forward
Steven Solis (Burbank, Ill./Greenville/Reavis) and defender
Cristian Tamayo (Orland Park, Ill./Illinois-Chicago/Sandburg).
- Diaz, redshirt junior midfielder Saul Lagunas (Midlothian, Ill./Bremen) and freshman midfielder Kajetan Mlynarski (Warsaw, Poland/Lelewel) each had a shot on goal. Hul added a shot attempt as the Cougars were outshot 19-4.
- A foul inside the 18-yard box set SXU up with a penalty kick chance in the 22nd minute, and Diaz sent a shot past the ONU goalkeeper, the first goal allowed by the Tigers in three matches going back to a 2-2 draw on October 15.
- Olivet Nazarene tied the match in the 26th minute. They looked to take the lead in the 44th minute, but a shot hit the post leaving the contest square at 1-1 heading into halftime.
- ONU netted the game-winning goal in the 67th minute on a shot from an odd angle from the right side.
- In the 73rd minute, Lagunas was able to separate from the defense to get a shot, but it was stopped. Mlynarski sent in a shot from 30 yards on a free kick that was also saved in the 85th minute.
Saint Xavier (6-10-1/2-4-1 CCAC) prepares for the CCAC Tournament Quarterfinals that begin on Tuesday, November 4. Time and opponent have yet to be determined.
