The Benedictine Mesa men's soccer team secured a hard-fought 2–1 win over The Master's University on Saturday afternoon, closing out their regular season with a strong road performance and clenching a playoff spot.
The Redhawks set the tone early when
Gergo Varga found the back of the net in the 8th minute, capitalizing on a well-placed assist from
Ryder Padgett to give Benedictine Mesa the early 1–0 advantage. The Redhawks kept the pressure on with shots from
Abel Bello,
Padgett, and
Jack Taylor, while goalkeeper
Moritz Ae made key saves to preserve the lead heading into halftime.
The Master's leveled the score in the 57th minute when
Hidenori Akasaka converted a chance assisted by
Zach Batesand
Braden Krusey, tying the match 1–1. However, Benedictine Mesa responded just three minutes later. Fresh off the bench,
Ryder Skolka scored what would become the game-winning goal in the 60th minute, again assisted by
Ryder Padgett, who played a crucial role in both Redhawk goals.
Defensively, Benedictine Mesa held strong through the final stretch, even as The Master's pushed for an equalizer. Ae continued to anchor the back line, and the Redhawks' composure proved vital—particularly after The Master's went down to 10 men following a late red card in the 85th minute.
Key Players:
Looking ahead: The Redhawks are back on the field Friday as they take on Arizona Christian in the GSAC Semi-Finals.
