The OLLU Saints men’s soccer team closed out their inaugural season on Friday, Oct. 26 with a victory over Mid-American Christian University, 2-1, finishing their season with an overall record of 10-4-1.
In the victory, Jose “Ricky” Ortiz scored the first goal assisted by Joel Frias, and Dallas Longfellow scored the winning goal unassisted.  After the game, Longfellow spoke of the team’s accomplishments during its first season.

“We have a lot of memories and we are going to take it a step forward next year,” Longfellow said.  “We are coming back with a lot of people returning and hopefully we are getting more sports in so then the community and the school can be even more behind us.

The Saints not only boast a winning record for this season and accomplishments as a team, but has multiple individual standouts in the Independent Category of the NAIA.   Tomas Flores ranks No. 1 in shots on goal with 25 and No. 1 in goals with nine.  Longfellow ranks No. 3 in assists with six. Frias and Ricardo Guerra are tied for No. 6 in assists with three apiece.  Goalkeeper Arthur Salazar ranks No. 4 in saves with 44 and No. 1 in goals against per game.

The team is still looking to the future and the possibility of obtaining one of the at-large bids into the playoffs.  However, a key loss to Huston-Tillotson University on Oct. 17 may affect the team’s chances.
Still, for the time being, the team is reflecting on all it has accomplished already.

“As a first-year program, we went out with 10 wins, with barely any people above freshmen. I think we have a lot to build on for next season,” back Matthew Cook said. 

“We were going for winning half of the games at the beginning of the season, but once we started practicing we knew we could do more.  I will take a lot of friendships from this season and experience and hopefully leadership for next year’s freshmen,” he said.

Soccer post-game report: 10-26-07 vs Mid-American Christian University
Score: 2-1 (OLLU wins)
Current team record: 10-4-1

The Saints closed out their inaugural season with a win over Mid-American Christian University at home, 2-1.

Jose “Ricky” Ortiz scored the match’s first goal seven minutes into the first half.  The goal was assisted by Joel Frias.  MACU tied up the score before the end of the half.  Dallas Longfellow scored an unassisted goal close to the halfway point of the second half to lead the Saints to victory.

Soccer post-game report: 10-21-07 @ University of St. Thomas
Score: 1-0 (OLLU wins)
Current team record: 9-4-1

The Saints men’s soccer team made their last trip of the season when they traveled to Houston to face off against the University of St. Thomas.

Tomas Flores scored the game’s lone goal, assisted by David Martinez.

Soccer post-game report: 10-17-07 @ Huston-Tillotson University
Score: 0-2 (HTU wins)
Current team record: 8-4-1

Soccer post-game report: 10-04-07 @ Texas Wesleyan University
Score: 2-1 (OLLU wins)
Current team record: 8-3-1

The Saints hit the road to take on Texas Wesleyan University on Oct. 4 where they defeated the Rams 2-1.

 Tomas Flores scored both goals for the Saints.  The first goal was assisted by Joel Frias and the second was unassisted coming off a defensive rebound.

Soccer post-game report: 9-28-07 vs Southwestern Assemblies of God
Score: 9-0 (OLLU wins)
Current team record: 7-3-1

The Saints dominated on both the offense and defense sides of the field when they hosted Southwestern Assemblies of God University.  The team held their opponent to an entire scoreless game and added nine goals of their own in the win on Sept. 28.

Scoring goals for the Saints in the total offensive domination of the game were: Tomas Flores who scored three goals, the first goal was assisted by Joel Frias and the last two went unassisted; Jose “Ricky” Ortiz added one; Kahlil Davis scored a goal assisted by Ricardo Guerra and then put in one unassisted; Joel Frias and Christopher Cantu also scored an unassisted goal each.

Soccer post-game report: 9-20-07 @ Northwood University
Score: 1-0 (OLLU wins)
Current team record: 6-3-1

Cesar Dominguez scored a goal off a free kick during the second half of the match to seal the win over Northwood University for the Saint.

Dallas Longfellow assisted the goal.

Soccer post-game report: 9-15-07 vs Houston Baptist University
Score: 2-1 (HBU wins)
Current team record: 5-3-1

The Saints are looking to get back to their winning ways after suffering a loss to Houston Baptist University 2-1 in overtime over the weekend.  The two teams remained scoreless throughout the entire first half. 

HBU’s Andrew Collins put the Huskies on the board first nailing a kick from the center of the box into the net.  Saints’ midfielder Kahill Davis tied up the score with a blistering strike from 25 yards out.  The goal was assisted by Ricky Ortiz.  HBU took the game during overtime off a penalty kick.

“It was an unfortunate ending,” head coach Shane Hurley said.  “I am proud of the guys.  They maintained composure throughout the entire game.  It was not the result they deserved.”

Soccer post-game report: 9-14-07 vs University of Texas-Brownsville @ OLLU
Score: 1-0 (OLLU wins)
Current team record: 5-2-1

The Saints’ combined aggressive defense with tenacious offense to defeat the University of Texas-Brownsville 1-0 in overtime.

Striker Tomas Flores scored the winning goal off a corner kick more than three-fourths through the first half of overtime.  The goal was assisted by Dallas Longfellow and came after playing almost 100 minutes. 

After winning the game Flores could not put into words what was going through his mind.

“I can’t describe it,” Flores said.  “We wanted this game.  It didn’t matter how.  We just wanted to take it.”

The game carried not only the pressure to bounce back from Tuesday’s loss to Huston-Tillotson University but for Saints players from the valley the game hit close to home.

“UT-Brownsville is some of our hometown,” said back Ricardo Guerra after the win.  “We have friends out there but a game is a game and we wanted to win.”

Soccer post-game report: 9-11-07 vs Huston-Tillotson @ OLLU
Score: 2-1 (Huston-Tillotson wins)
Current team record: 4-2-1

The Saints’ soccer team suffered their second loss of the season when they hosted the defending NAIA Red River Conference champion Rams of Huston-Tillotson University.

The winning goal was scored with less than a minute left in stoppage time of regulation.  In a back and forth game between the two teams, the score had remained tied at one goal apiece, until that point.  Dallas Longfellow scored for the Saints during the first half off of a left footed half-volley.

“They had better team chemistry,” central defender Eric Torkildsen said.  “We worked to play defense but that guy at the end had five inches on all of us.  We gave it our all.  This loss just makes Friday’s game more important to us."

Soccer post-game report: 9-8-07 at Texas Lutheran University
Score: 1-1 at end of regulation; remained 1-1 after two 10 minute halves in OT
Current team record: 4-1-1

The Saints battled the Bulldogs of Texas Lutheran University in a game that came down to a 1-1 tie after two overtime periods at TLU’s Gustafson Field in Seguin, TX.

Midfielder Dallas Longfellow put the Saints on the board by nailing a free kick from 25 yards out during the first half.  The Saints continued to hold the Bulldogs at bay throughout the rest of the first half.

TLU’s Silas Blackwell answered in the second half by adding an unassisted goal to tie the score.  A crucial save close to the end of regulation by goalkeeper Arthur Salazar kept the Saints alive, and with no other goal scored by either team the game was sent into overtime.

The teams played two additional 10 minute halves in the grueling mid-afternoon heat, and at the end of overtime the score remained locked up at one goal apiece.

“We worked extremely hard for the 110 minutes we played,” Salazar said.  “For a first year program we have started out strong.”

Soccer post-game report: 9-3-07 vs Howard Payne University
Score: 1-0 (OLLU wins)
Current team record: 4-1

The Saints added another win to their record on Sept. 3 when they hosted Howard Payne University.  The Saints defeated the Jackets 1-0.

Kahlil Davis scored the goal, assisted by Tomas Flores.

Soccer post-game report: 9-1-07 at College of the Southwest
Score: 2-1 (OLLU wins)
Current team record: 3-1

The Saints traveled to Hobbs, New Mexico to face off against the Mustangs from College of the Southwest.  The Saints pulled off a victory over the Mustangs, 2-1, in overtime.

Providing the goals for the Saints were Tomas Flores who scored with two minutes left in regulation and Kahlil Davis who scored 30 seconds into overtime.  The goal was assisted by Esteban Rocha.

Soccer post-game report: 8-30-07 vs St. Thomas University
Score: 1-0 (St. Thomas wins)
Current team record: 2-1

The Saints held their home-game opener on Aug. 30 when they hosted the Celts from St. Thomas University-Houston.  The Celts were able to pull out a win over the Saints, 1-0, giving the Saints their first loss of the season. 

“It was a tough loss,” goalkeeper Arthur Salazar said.  “But it was great to have our first home game and receive the support we did.”

UST’s Omar Alonso scored the lone goal of the game.

Soccer post-game report: 8-25-07 at Mid-America Christian University (Oklahoma)
8-26-07 at Bacone College (Oklahoma)   
Score: 3-2 vs Mid-America Christian University (OLLU wins)
3-0 vs Bacone College (OLLU wins)
Current team record: 2-0

The Saints began their season on Aug. 24-25, in Oklahoma, where they defeated Mid-America Christian University 3-2 and Bacone College 3-0. 

In the first game, Flores put the Saints on the board scoring a goal assisted by Longfellow, Ortiz scored an unassisted goal during the MACU game, and David Martinez scored the final goal during the MACU and was assisted by Ortiz. 

During the second game, Flores, again, scored the Saints’ first goal assisted by Longfellow, followed by a goal from David Flores, also assisted by Longfellow, and Davis scored the Saints’ final goal off a penalty kick in the shut-out of Bacone.