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Creighton Men’s Soccer Shuts Out Tulsa 5-0, Moves Into Top 25

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[Box Score]

Creighton wasted little time taking control of Monday’s match at Tulsa. In the eighth minute (7:34), senior captain Matthew Reed corralled a pass from Carter Taveras in the middle, then blasted a shot into the back of the net.

Five minutes later (12:03) Taveras created a second goal. On this one, Brady Bragg hustled down the pitch to keep a long pass alive in the corner, and passed it to Taveras running toward the box. Taveras, in turn, delivered a short pass to Edward Morales for the goal and a 2-0 lead.

In the 42nd minute, Tulsa’s Aiden Hale had a clean shot at the goal — one of the Golden Hurricane’s only chances of the first half — but misfired right. Roughly 80 seconds later, CU’s Allan Juarez did not make the same mistake. ESPN’s cameras missed the shot on the broadcast because they were busy showing a reply of the previous shot, which is a shame because the movement from Aaron Deppe and Jordan Igwenma that created the space is beautiful.

The Jays shifted into a more conservative posture after halftime to protect that 3-0 lead; after 13 shots in the first half they had just four in the second. But they still managed to tack on two more goals, including Reed’s second of the night — a penalty kick in the 76th minute (75:12).

Then Taveras got a goal of his own after assisting on two in the first half, tipping in a pass from Morales in the 86th minute (85:04) and celebrating with a double-back flip.

Meanwhile, the Jays’ defense held firm, and though Tulsa had 11 shots in the second half, just three of them were shots on goal — and backup goaltender Amari Thompson saved all three.

Afterward, Reed told the ESPN crew that the team was very aware that it took them until the end of September to pick up their first road win last season. “We talked about that before the game,” Reed said. “So, obviously, getting our first in late August this year, it adds a little confidence to the group.”

Speaking of last year, Creighton scored 21 total goals in 16 matches a year ago. They have 16 goals already this season through just four matches. A pair of freshmen (Carter Taveras and Jordan Igwenma) have six of those 16 goals. Last year’s team never scored more than three goals in any match, while this year they’ve scored at least three goals in three of four matches.

“I feel like it lifts a lot of weight off our shoulders to have a group of young guys that can come in and still impact the game as well as the starting group,” Reed said afterward on ESPN. “It makes makes our job so much easier.”

They’ve been successful early, too: this year’s team has already scored seven first half goals, while last year they had eight first half goals all season.

Add it all up, and on Tuesday the Bluejays found themselves ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since August 8, 2023. They’re tied with Princeton at #23 in the United Soccer Coaches’ poll, and have their next five matches at Morrison Stadium beginning with Friday’s Socctoberfest matchup against Gonzaga.

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