Early Goals Prove Too Much for Eureka in Loss to Benedictine

LISLE, Ill. – The Eureka men's soccer team came up just short against Benedictine in a tightly contested matchup on Sunday night, falling 2-1 in its first road trip of the season.

After the Eagles (1-1-0) opened the scoring in the 6th minute, Eureka (1-1-0) quickly responded when freshman Jesus Canas (Miami, Fla./John A. Ferguson) delivered a highlight-reel moment in the 8th minute, smashing an acrobatic volley into the top corner of the net to level the score at 1-1. The goal marked Canas' first as a Red Devil and briefly shifted the momentum in Eureka's favor.

However, Benedictine reclaimed the lead in the 18th minute with what would stand as the game-winning goal. Despite conceding twice in the first 20 minutes, the Red Devils settled in defensively and continued to press forward in search of an equalizer throughout the remainder of the match.

Eureka's most dangerous chance came with just 12 seconds left in regulation. Freshman Gabriel Gonzalez (Oak Forest, Ill./Homeschooled) launched a long ball forward that bounced past a Benedictine defender and fell perfectly for Joyce Kabesa (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington), who had raced past the backline. As Kabesa attempted to track down the ball, he was pulled down from behind by a Benedictine defender, resulting in a red card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Gonzalez stepped up to take the resulting free kick from just outside the box, but his effort was blocked by the Benedictine wall. The Eagles quickly cleared the rebound, running out the clock and securing the 2-1 win.

Up Next

The Red Devils will continue their road trip on Wednesday night, taking on Illinois Wesleyan in a non-conference matchup. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.