By Keiton Fase, Guest Writer
The Aquinas men’s soccer team ended its home season on Oct. 30, with a 6-1 win against Rochester University. In the first half, Aquinas scored 5 goals to RU’s 1. The team finished its season 12-4-1, winning 66 percent of its games.
The match was an easy win for the Saints by the stats, but still a contender to fight with on the pitch. Rochester had many good plays that got them up the field for an opportunity to score and close the distance between points. They fell apart at the chance to score with an uncoordinated advance toward the goalkeeper, leaving it a weak or off-target shot.
Aquinas maintained ball possession and controlled the ball more calmly and effectively than Rochester, leading to higher possession percentage and more points on the board.
Rochester at times were playing dirty, roughing up the AQ men without penalty. The Saints also things they got away with as well, which upset the opposing team.
Although the team’s success is a result of collective effort from all members, a few athletes had remarkable performances in the match against Rochester. A notable athlete on the field was senior Ricardo Rittersberger. Throughout the whole game he could be seen sprinting to the ball, setting the ball into midfield, battling other players and moving his team upfield frequently. He played his role with intention all throughout the game and put up two goals during his time on the field.
Ivan Radovic, the goalie for the Saints tracked and blocked the ball successfully, with almost every game having two or more saves and demonstrating his strong ability to command the field.
With the final regular season home match for the Saints, the team celebrated senior night, commemorating the team’s large graduating class. Celebrating all of the hard work and time the seniors have put into the team during their time on the AQ men’s soccer team. Thirteen seniors will be graduating after this year, leaving a new younger team to present their skills on the field. Many underclassmen have demonstrated their abilities while learning from their teammates.
Those who will be on the team next year are going to have to put in the work off-season to stay sharp and on their toes, getting better every day making the next season just as good as the current team. Fans of Aquinas men’s soccer are excited to see what Aquinas men’s soccer team of 2025-2026 has to offer.
The team will finish this season in tournament play, fighting for a national championship. The Saints will make their return to their field next season, with a new team of athletes and new goals and ambitions in August of 2025, as they return to regular-season play.
Aquinas Men’s Soccer Team meet before the game begins- Photo by Grace Malec
Aquinas Senior, Youssef Hakmaoui – Photo by Grace Malec
The Saint 