Sophomore goalkeeper Tucker Mann collected 14 saves — the most since St. Thomas stats started being tracked in 2009 — for the men’s soccer team in a non-conference game against Western Michigan University (2-3-4, 0-0-0 Mid-American Conference), keeping the score tied 1-1 after two overtimes this afternoon at South Field.
The game was fought ferociously on both sides. The Broncos played aggressively and kept the ball in front of the Tommie’s (0-8-2, 0-1 Summit League) goal. Mann, who played for the entirety of the 110-minute game, knew that it would be tough.
“We just knew that we had to fight and be tough and finish the game out,” Mann said.
The lone goal by the Tommies was scored with ten minutes left in the first half, off of a header by first-year defenseman Charlie Holton who was assisted by sophomore midfielder Max Hand.
“It was a rush of emotion,” Holton said. “Right before, I saw my teammate Max, I thought, ‘he’s gonna put it in the back of the net’ but just to be prepared I got to the back post and was there for him.”
The Tommies were still reeling from a loss last week at Eastern Illinois in their first Summit League competition. Coach Jon Lowery, who is in his tenth season coaching at St. Thomas, acknowledges the difficulties the Tommies will encounter in Division I.
“We’re just trying to find comfort in our new reality,” Lowery said. “At the beginning of the year, we didn’t have a lot of comfort. The level of the games was uncomfortable, maybe the whole idea of it all was somewhat uncomfortable.”
However, Coach Lowery has seen progress in his team.
“The guys are getting more and more comfortable and their confidence is growing… we just tied a really good Western Michigan team,” Lowery said. “They lost to Virginia by a goal, they lost to Kentucky by a goal, and we just took them level one-one.”
Holton says that the biggest thing for the Tommies now is to get a win.
“We’re getting the ball rolling with a tie, but getting wins is our next step. We’re taking big steps and building better chemistry as a team.” Holton said.
Mann acknowledges all the work that the Tommies have put in so far, while agreeing with Holton.
“We’ve been out here for almost two months, and preseason, just training. It’s all the work that we’ve put in so before, and it translates to when we’re on the field,” Mann said. “But I want to get out first dub, then we can move on from there and talk about other goals.”
The Tommies will next face Oral Roberts University at 1 p.m. on Oct. 2, at South Field.
Owen Larson can be reached at lars6521@stthomas.edu.