LACEY, WA. – The Saint Martin's men's soccer team (2-7-1, 2-2 GNAC) ripped off their second straight win Saturday afternoon with a trouncing of Western Oregon (1-7-1, 0-4 GNAC) that included the first SMU hat-trick since 2018, as well as a goal that set the record for the quickest in program history.
 
Coming into the day, no player for Saint Martin's men's soccer had ever scored a goal within the first minute of a contest. The quickest goal in team history had been a SMU goal from spring of 2021 that was scored 1:22 into a contest on March 24^th. Diego Andrade shattered that record today after Western Oregon kicked off the contest by knocking the ball to their back line where Andrade then intercepted a pass, was in on goal, and fired the ball into the lower left corner. The goal came just 13 seconds into the contest, meaning it beats the previous record by over a minute and likely is near the top of the record book in the conference.
 
Before the fans even had a chance to breathe after goal number one, a quick one-two between David Settle and Arjun Gill was lofted into the air where Ethan Jud took advantage of a miscommunication between defender and keeper to push the ball in the back of the net. The Saints continued to push for the next 30 minutes before another surge forward resulted in Gill drawing a foul in the box where Andrade would convert the penalty and make it 3-0.
 
A sizzling Saint Martin's first half would not stop there. After a WOU outburst led to a red card to a Wolves player, the Saints continued to take advantage of aggressive play from their opponents, earning a free kick just outside the box to allow Jud a chance to step up and strike it towards goal. A hard shot heading towards the left post deflected fortuitously off the wall to an empty right side of the goal. Jud had his brace, but he wasn't done there. With time ticking down towards the end of the first half, Caden Martin sat up for a free kick just outside the box due to a Western Oregon handball. Martin struck a bender towards the far post where the Wolves keeper made a diving save to perry it away from goal. Waiting on the doorstep was none other than Jud, who stabbed the ball to the back of the net to complete his first half hat trick.
Not only was this the first SMU hat trick since Brandon Madsen did it for his senior day on October 27, 2018, but it was also the first time ever that the Saints have put five goals past a GNAC opponent in one half. The only time they've ever put five goals past ANY opponent in one half came all the way back in 2015, when the guys tallied five in the second of Trinity Lutheran as part of a 9-0 win.
 
Birthday boy Nick Mueller was the winning goalie keeping a clean sheet in his 67 minutes of action between the pipes, even though he was not called upon to make a save. Hunter Askland served the final 23 minutes as keeper and the Wolves found two late goals, including a PK. The WOU keepers were under constant siege, with the Saints firing in a total of 20 shots, including 12 on target.
 
Winless coming into the week, the Saints have now won two straight, outscoring opponents by a total of 8-2 in that time, with two convincing three-goal victories.
 
"This week has been really great because we've pushed ourselves through a wall and now, we're a little bit on the other side," said Head Coach Rob Walker after the win, "We're in a situation now where we can put some moments together in a game and be dangerous. We've scored two goals against Western Washington, we've scored three goals in Billings, which is never easy to do, and five in the first half today which was phenomenal."
 
The Saints stay at home next Thursday, October 6^th, where they host the Falcons of Seattle Pacific (3-4-4, 2-1-1 GNAC). Kickoff is set for 3 PM at Saints Field.