Saturday night was a showcase of grit, resilience, and attacking flair across collegiate men’s soccer, as three notable programs—Georgetown, Nova Southeastern, and Ottawa—each delivered statement victories that could shape their respective conference races. With rain-soaked drama in Washington, a clutch finish in Fort Lauderdale, and a five-game winning streak extended in Ottawa, Kansas, fans were treated to a feast of goals, comebacks, and standout performances.
At Shaw Field in Washington, D.C., the No. 14/20 Georgetown Hoyas turned in a commanding 4-1 win over the University of Connecticut Huskies, a result that not only improved their record to 7-3-3 overall and 3-0-1 in BIG EAST play, but also sent a message to the rest of the conference. Yet, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Hoyas. Despite dominating early possession and peppering the UConn goal with chances—Mitchell Baker and Mateo Ponce Ocampo both tested Huskies keeper Kyle Durham—it was UConn that struck first. Charlie Holmes slipped behind the defense in the 15th minute and coolly slotted home the opener, putting the visitors up 1-0 against the run of play.
Georgetown’s response? Calm and calculated. The rain intensified, but so did the Hoyas’ pressure. In the 28th minute, Ponce Ocampo weaved past two defenders along the endline before being tripped in the box, earning a penalty. Senior Zach Zengue stepped up with confidence and buried the spot kick, leveling the score at 1-1 as the teams headed into halftime deadlocked.
“Tonight was a fantastic performance because of, in some ways, what happened on Tuesday,” Head Coach Brian Wiese said after the game. “We had the midweek game. UConn didn’t have to manage that, they had a full week to rest and prepare. But the mentality we showed through 90 minutes was really, really good, especially going down early in the game. We didn’t panic, we just kept the game plan intact. Getting three points against a UConn team that is in really good form right now is a massive result. I thought everybody showed up and did the job today, and that’s what you need to do to win in the league.”
After the break, UConn came out swinging, forcing questions of the Hoya defense. But Georgetown’s resolve held firm, and in the 75th minute, the breakthrough arrived. Freshman Loukas Maroutsis found Zengue, who slipped the ball to Baker on the left. Baker’s clinical finish to the far post gave Georgetown a 2-1 lead. Just six minutes later, Zengue’s dangerous free kick caused chaos in the UConn box, resulting in a Huskies own goal to make it 3-1. Zengue wasn’t done—he capped his fourth multi-goal game of the season in the 88th minute, pouncing on his own rebound to seal the 4-1 victory.
Statistically, the Hoyas were dominant: they outshot UConn 25-10 (13 on target to UConn’s five), earned seven corners to the Huskies’ four, and saw senior goalkeeper Tenzing Manske make three crucial saves to earn the win. The result keeps Georgetown unbeaten in their last four league matches and sets up a pivotal road trip to DePaul University on October 18.
Down in Fort Lauderdale, the 25th-ranked Nova Southeastern Sharks made the most of their home turf, edging the Rollins Tars 2-1 in a Sunshine State Conference (SSC) showdown. The Sharks, now 5-2-1 overall and 2-2-1 in the SSC, were propelled by goals from Santiago Hoyos Lopez and Toga Katsuma. Hoyos Lopez opened the scoring, setting the tone for a match that saw Nova Southeastern’s offense push the pace. Katsuma doubled the lead after breaking away from the defense and sneaking a shot past the Rollins keeper—a moment that would prove decisive.
The Tars, however, weren’t about to roll over. They clawed one back with a late goal in the 75th minute, injecting suspense into the closing stages. But the Sharks’ defense stood tall, and the 2-1 margin held through the final whistle. This win not only steadies Nova Southeastern’s campaign after a rocky start in conference play but also positions them well ahead of their next test—a road clash against the Panthers on October 15 at 7:00 PM.
Meanwhile, in Ottawa, Kansas, the Braves men’s soccer team extended their winning streak to five games with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Kansas Wesleyan at AdventHealth Field. Ottawa, now 7-1-5 overall and an impressive 6-0-2 in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) play, had to dig deep after falling behind in the 22nd minute. Seth Flores gave Kansas Wesleyan the early lead, but Ottawa’s Antonio Natalucci leveled the score with a spectacular long-range strike in the 33rd minute.
The second half saw Ottawa seize control. In the 68th minute, Sam Hatswell’s shot, aided by a deflection off a Wesleyan defender, found the net with Alonso Basauri providing the assist. Just six minutes later, Martin Basso scored what looked like an insurance goal off a Felipe Padierna assist—only for Kansas Wesleyan’s Mateo Hoyos to respond almost immediately, cutting the deficit to 3-2. The Coyotes pressed hard, rattling the crossbar and forcing Ottawa goalkeeper David Martinez into a series of heroic saves—six in total. Despite Kansas Wesleyan’s late surge, Ottawa’s defense held on, with both teams registering eight shots on goal and the Braves leading total shots 15 to 12.
With momentum firmly on their side, Ottawa now looks ahead to an October 18 road matchup at Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, with kickoff set for 7:30 PM.
Across these three campuses, Saturday’s matches were a testament to the drama and unpredictability that make college soccer so compelling. From Georgetown’s rain-soaked comeback and Zengue’s heroics, to Nova Southeastern’s clinical finishing and Ottawa’s nerve under pressure, fans witnessed the kind of action that defines a season. As each team gears up for their next challenge, the stakes—and the excitement—only continue to rise.
