The Benedictine Mesa men's soccer team secured a gritty 1-0 road win over OUAZ on Saturday afternoon, with a strong defensive effort and a decisive second-half goal proving to be the difference.

The opening half saw the Redhawks control possession and create numerous scoring opportunities. Raegan Rintoul, Jack Jackson, and Ryder Padgett all had early looks at goal, while Edwin Arias provided consistent service on set pieces with multiple corner kicks. Despite outshooting the Spirit in the first half, Benedictine couldn't find the breakthrough as OUAZ goalkeeper Jonathan Garcia held firm, and the teams entered halftime scoreless.

After the break, Benedictine's persistence finally paid off. In the 66th minute, Andronikos Nicolaou delivered a precise pass into the box where substitute Gergo Varga finished cleanly to give the Redhawks a 1-0 lead.

From there, it was the defense and goalkeeping that carried Benedictine across the finish line. Rafael Machado was outstanding in net, making several crucial saves, including a stop on Alvaro Hormigos and a late effort from Zen Courtois. The back line, anchored by Jackson and Rintoul, came up with key blocks and clearances to preserve the clean sheet.

OUAZ pushed forward in the final minutes, but the Redhawks stayed composed under pressure, even as tempers flared with multiple fouls and yellow cards issued in the closing stages.

Key Players

• Gergo Varga: 2 shots on goal, 1 goal
• Rafael Machado: 5 saves

Looking Ahead
The Redhawks return to action on Tuesday, October 7, when they host La Sierra.