WATERBURY, Conn. - - The Wildcat men's soccer team is officially in the win column for the first time in 2025, thanks to some strong defense and the head of Alex Tarway, as they defeated American International College, 1-0, on Saturday on the campus of Post University.
Both teams entered the match coming off 1-1 ties in their season openers on Thursday, Wilmington against Adelphi and AIC against Post.
After a back-and-forth opening to the game, Ole Themsfeldt took a corner for Wilmington nine minutes into the first half. Freshman Jacques Mason received the kick with a header into the crossbar, then bicycled the deflection up into the air, which allowed Tarway to come across with a header to score.
The Wildcats would go on to take another 25 shots the rest of the game (28 in total), but the AIC defense shored up, and Yellowjacket goalkeeper Sola Martinez made a number of spectacular saves (totaling 12 on 13 shots on goal) to keep his team in the game. Wilmington's defense did its part as well, keeping AIC to 13 shots with freshman keeper Emil Lollike saving all six that were on goal. The pressure was consistent from both sides half to half, as Wilmington outshot AIC 15-7 in the first and 13-6 in the second.
Wilmington led the game in corner kicks as well, 9-3, holding AIC without one until the second half. The shutout is the first of Emil Lollike's collegiate career in his second game with WilmU.
The Wildcat's next contest is set for Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. in West Chester against the Golden Rams.