In a hard-fought contest, the Benedictine Mesa men's soccer team secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Arizona Christian. Both teams exchanged early opportunities, but Benedictine's defense held strong against a series of shots from Arizona Christian. Goalkeeper Mortiz Ae made several key saves in the first half, keeping the game scoreless despite constant pressure from the visitors. On the offensive side, Benedictine came close to breaking the deadlock, with Shiloh Perez testing the Arizona Christian goalkeeper, but the effort was saved.
In the second half, Benedictine's persistence paid off in the 70th minute when Ryder Padgett found the back of the net, assisted by Ignacio Arsuaga and Lushil Abbia, putting the Redhawks ahead 1-0. Arizona Christian responded with an aggressive push to equalize, but Ae continued his stellar performance, making multiple crucial saves to maintain the lead.
Benedictine had a chance to extend their lead in the 78th minute with a penalty kick, but Carlos Barraza's shot was saved. Despite the missed opportunity, Benedictine's defense stayed strong, holding off Arizona Christian's late attacks to secure the win.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead: The Redhawks return to action on Thursday, September 26th, at 8 PM to face Hope International at home.
