ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Head Coach Jake Simpson secured his first career win as the men's soccer team (1-0-1) outlasted a tough Maryville club (0-1-1) on the road at the Maryville Soccer Field in Missouri.
 
Simpson is the second head coach in the history of the men's soccer program to lead the Hillcats to victory, following Hall of Fame Head Coach Derek Larkin, who achieved 175 wins in 18 seasons at the helm.
 
"First off, I want to give Glory to God," Simpson commented following the match. "We showed how much fight we have as a group. In tough circumstances, we held our ground and were as organized and strong as we could be. This was a great testament to the team's character and a great start to the season."
 
Saturday's contest was a physical and chippy one between the two powerhouses, as the two teams combined for 28 fouls and nine yellow cards in the Show Me State.
 
Both teams struggled to find the back of the net during the scoreless opening 15 minutes of the match until junior defender Alex Fletcher scored his second career goal in the 16th minute with an Olimpico (corner kick goal) that curled in the upper left corner of the goal.
 
The Saints managed to outshoot the Hillcats 5-2 for the remainder of the half, but the Hillcats' defense held firm, maintaining a 1-0 lead at halftime.
 
The second half narrative mirrored the first, with the Saints outshooting the Hillcats 6-2. Despite playing a man down for the final 40 minutes after Fletcher received his second yellow card, the Hillcats protected their one-goal lead to secure the massive early-season victory.
 
Junior goalkeeper Jaxon Kendall delivered an outstanding performance during his second career start, achieving his first career shutout victory with five saves.
 
Senior captain Artur Carvalho and sophomore Sam Ryder played pivotal roles in the shutout, both completing 90 minutes on the defensive side.
 
Offensively, Louis Bassett led the attack with two shots—one on goal—while Fletcher (goal), Kenzo Shabazz-Edwards and Noah Preston-Watkins each contributed one shot.
 
The Hillcats will be back in action on Thursday, Sept. 11, at 3:00 p.m. for their home opener against Rockhurst at Soldier Field.