DELAWARE, Ohio – The 11th-ranked Calvin University men's soccer team suffered its first defeat of the 2024 season by the final of 2-1 at 23rd-ranked Ohio Wesleyan (OWU) on Friday night.
 
OWU (3-0-0) took the fight to the Knights to start the game, outshooting the Knights 7-1 overall and 3-1 in shots on goal in the opening half.
 
The Battling Bishops jumped in front on one of those three shots on goal in the 23rd minute on a tip in front off a free kick and took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
 
OWU added to its lead early in the second half, scoring on a shot from the top of the box in the 51st minute to extend its advantage to 2-0.
 
Calvin (2-1-0) started to get itself going in the following the second goal and got on the board in the 59th minute when Alex White (Lake Bluff, Ill./Lake Forest Academy) pounced on a rebound to cut the deficit in half at 2-1 with his first goal of the season.
 
The Knights continued to press over the final 30 minutes and outshot the Bishops 10-5 overall after halftime, but could not find the equalizer as OWU was able to hold on for the result.
 
White finished the day with six total shots, including all three of Calvin's shots on goal. Five other Calvin players finished with one shot apiece.
 
Kaelen Matascastillo (New Kensington, Pa./Minnesota Virtual Academy) stopped three of the Bishops' five shots on goal for Calvin.
 
COACH'S COMMENT: "Credit the Bishops," said Calvin men's soccer head coach Ryan Souders. "They were hungrier from the start and earned the result. Thinking and hoping we learned a lot tonight. When we want to fight and play, we can do that with anyone. But we can't just show up and compete. We'll have a chance to put that in place tomorrow against an extremely good Ohio Northern side."
 
NEXT UP: Calvin men's soccer returns to action against another ranked opponent tomorrow (Saturday, September 7) when the Knights travel to 15th-ranked Ohio Northern University for a game scheduled to start at 7:00 PM.