Chicago, Ill. – The IU Columbus men's soccer team returned home from a two-game road swing in Chicago with a 1-1 weekend record, earning a decisive 3-1 victory over St. Francis (IL) on Saturday night before falling 4-0 to Saint Xavier on Monday afternoon. The results move the Crimson Pride to 2-1 overall on the young season.

On Saturday, the Crimson Pride struck early and often against St. Francis, controlling the tempo with a balanced attack. Kevin Cruz opened the scoring in the 15th minute off an assist from Christian Cardoso. Just before halftime, Michael Ruiz doubled the lead, finishing a setup from defender Trent Schenk. Midfielder Saulo Luna added insurance in the 61st minute with an unassisted strike to make it 3-0.

The hosts pulled one back in the 78th minute, but goalkeeper Jacob Kasarda held firm, recording five saves in the match to secure the win. IU Columbus outshot St. Francis 20-16, with 10 shots on frame compared to the Saints' six.

Two days later, the Crimson Pride met a tough Saint Xavier squad and suffered their first loss of the season. Despite nine total shots, IU Columbus was unable to find the back of the net, while the Cougars capitalized on their chances with two goals in each half. Kasarda made 10 saves in 83 minutes of action before giving way to Harris Weltz, who added two more stops in the closing minutes.

Saint Xavier's defensive pressure limited IUC to just four shots on goal and kept IU Columbus off the scoreboard for the first time this season.

Next Up: The Crimson Pride will look to bounce back in their next match. Continuing the non-conference portion of their schedule, the Crimson Pride look to take on IU Northwest on their home pitch on Saturday, September 6. Kick-off is set for 3:00 PM.