Blue Jays Still Chasing First Win of the Season

Blue Jays Still Chasing First Win of the Season

9/06/2024 Fulton, MO- The Westminster Blue Jays met the Illinois College Blueboys in their 10th all time match up on Thursday evening at the Kent and Judith Mueller Stadium.  

Illinois College took an early lead with a goal from Reed Rogers, who scored unassisted in the first four minutes of the game. Despite Westminster's efforts to respond, the Blue Jays were unable to find the back of the net before the halftime whistle.  

The second half continued with high intensity and Illinois College extended their lead with a penalty kick by Tyler Schiltz within the first two minutes, making it 2-0. The penalty kick highlighted the physical nature of the match, as both teams continued to battle for the win. 

Westminster fought back and managed to narrow the gap with another penalty kick, this time from junior forward, Nathan Naumann at 84:13. Despite their late efforts and increased pressure, the Blue Jays were unable to score again and secure an equalizer. 

The physicality of the match was evident, with both teams committing numerous fouls and the Blue Jays receiving two yellow cards. The match saw a total of 29 fouls, with Illinois College committing 16 and Westminster 13. 

Westminster outshot Illinois College 8 to 6 and had 5 shots on goal compared to 3 for the visitors. However, Illinois College's goalkeeper, TJ Esseily, was impressive, making 4 crucial saves. The Blue Jays had only 1 corner kick and were caught offside twice, reflecting some issues with timing and positioning. 

The Blue Jays fall to 0-3 on the season but look for a win on Sunday, September 8th when they are back in action against Lindenwood University at 3:00PM. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ for fans to watch.