NAMPA, Idaho – Northwest Nazarene men's soccer notched their first win of the 2024 preseason on Saturday, defeating Carroll College in an exciting 3-2 exhibition match.
The visiting Saints got on the board first, scoring in the 13
th minute. NNU answered back just five minutes later, however, when
Johnny Ramirez scored off an assist from
Alex Barragan to even things up at the 17:03 mark.
Just before halftime, the Nighthawks took the lead on a goal from freshman
Austin Carmack, assisted by
Jonathan Cardona. NNU's advantage extended to 3-1 in the 67
th minute, when
Kye Welch found
Jim Wagenaar in the box for a goal.
Carroll didn't go away quietly, scoring in the 72
nd minute to cut the deficit to 3-2, but NNU was able to hang on over the final 18 minutes to preserve the one-goal victory.
Cardona, Ramirez, Carmack, and
Sullivan Smith all tallied two shots.
Cruz Ramirez played the first half in goal and notched one save, while
Elijah Brockl played the final 45 minutes and registered three saves.
Next up for the Nighthawks is a scrimmage against Columbia Basin CC on Thursday, Aug. 29 in Nampa. After that, the regular season starts on Sept. 5 in Pueblo, Colorado, when NNU takes on Jessup in a neutral site match.
