CHICAGO, Ill. – The Concordia University Chicago men's soccer team played under the lights downtown tonight, as the Cougars took on the Scarlet Hawks of Illinois Institute of Technology. Concordia capitalized on a late chance and took the game 1-0, for the team's first conference win of the season. The Cougars are now 2-7 (1-4 NACC).

Inside the Box

• The Cougars outshot the Scarlet Hawks 15 to 10.
• Elias De Santiago (Chicago, Ill.) blasted the lone goal of the game into the back of the net in the 80^th minute.
• Ten different Cougars were able to get a shot off.
• Nethan Gudiel (Chicago, Ill.) registered two saves.

How it Happened
The Cougars came out onto the pitch ready to attack, out shooting their opponents seven to one in the first half. Just eight minutes into the game, Julian Yanez (Cicero, Ill.) forced a save from the Scarlet Hawks' goalkeeper. De Santiago and Spencer Nicholson (Fort Collins, Colo.) also had their chances denied by IIT's goalkeeper. The Cougars continued to press forward, limiting the Scarlet Hawks' chances, but walked into the locker room tied 0-0 at halftime.

Justin Ibarez (Chicago, Ill.) kept the Scarlet Hawks on their toes at the beginning of the second half, as the Scarlet Hawks' goalkeeper once again made a save. Concordia continued to prowl forward and were rewarded in the 80^th minute. De Santiago blasted the ball into the side net and gave the Cougars a late lead.
 

Goal! De Santiago with the SCREAMER to the far post to take the lead, late in the game! pic.twitter.com/pUeF9M4Gfm

— CUC Men's Soccer (@cucmsoccer) October 3, 2024

Gudiel made an important save in the 89^th minute to preserve the shutout and the 1-0 victory for the Cougars.

The Cougars next game will be Saturday October 5 at 4:30 pm. Concordia heads to De Pere, Wis. to take on St. Norbert College. Coverage can be found at cucougars.com/coverage.