BURNABY, B.C. - In a matchup at SFU Stadium up north of the border, the Saint Martin's University men's soccer team (2-1) emerged triumphant with a commanding 3-1 victory over Sonoma State (0-2-1). The game was characterized by first career goals from Nathan McClellan and Xander Koenig that helped SMU respond to falling down within the first minute.

Early in the game, Sonoma State took the lead when Jvon Cunningham capitalized on an opportunity just 45 seconds in, assisted by Oliver Ziemer. This initial setback presented a challenge for Saint Martin's, but it was their composure and determination that defined the match.

Head Coach Rob Walker had this to say about the game: "In your pregame talk, you never really want to bring up the 'what if we give up a goal under the first minute,' but what we did cover today was how significant it was to be composed, and try to raise our level at every turn."

Saint Martin's quickly responded in the 19th minute when Daniel Shooshan netted a goal, assisted by Nathan McLellan. Coach Walker noted, "Sometimes the game is not democratic. But, Daniel Shooshan's goal after an opening misstep was a satisfying account of how good of a player he is, and what we hope will even be better in the future."

Nathan McLellan's impact on the match was undeniable. He not only scored a crucial free-kick goal from 40 yards out at the 22-minute mark but also provided an assist. Coach Walker praised McLellan, saying, "Nathan McClellan's two free kicks were a huge influence in the game, one assist and one scoring directly." This was McClellan's first career goal. Koenig then scored in the 71st minute on a one-timer hit in front of the cage to open his account in his freshman season. Arjun Gill delivered the beautiful cross that helped Koenig score.

However, Coach Walker emphasized that the result wasn't solely due to individual performances: "But, the result really comes down to all the hard work, graft, and effort that all the boys put in together. There were a ton of players that stepped up today and not only did the hard work but they did a lot of the hard work and made it look easy."

Nick Mueller pitched a shutout the final 89 minutes, tallying six saves. Despite the inevitable post-game bumps and bruises that come after a competitive match, Saint Martin's is determined to recover and prepare for their upcoming clash with a strong Chico State team on Saturday. Chico State (3-0) was ranked No. 25 in the country in the most recent poll.