LACEY, Wash. — The Saint Martin's Men's Soccer team opened the 2026 season with a resounding victory, defeating Walla Walla 5-0 at Saints Field on Thursday, August 27.
The Saints totaled nine shots on goal off 19 total shots, en route to the program's highest scoring effort since the 2022 season. The win improved the Saints' record to 1-0 on the season.
How It Happened
- The Saints wasted little time getting on the board, as Cole Sullivan found the back of the net in the fifth minute off an assist from Xander Koenig.
- Koenig was just getting started for the Saints, as the senior later scored in the 15th and 26th minutes, giving Saint Martin's an emphatic 3-0 lead, which stood until halftime.
- The Saints held a 7-6 advantage in shots in the first half.
- Saint Martin's kept the momentum going in the second half, totaling 12 shots and keeping Walla Walla from recording a single shot.
- In the 84th minute, Ismail Mamadou made the most of his Saint Martin's debut, scoring off an assist from Juan Diaz.
- Diaz, who also tallied two assists on the day, added an unassisted goal in the 89th minute to put the Saints ahead 5-0, a score that held through the final whistle, marking the team's largest margin of victory since the 2019 season.
Top Performers
- Xander Koenig totaled two goals and one assist off three total shots.
- Juan Diaz tallied two assists and one goal.
- Brandon Durr and Cole Sullivan each recorded two shots and one shot on goal, with Sullivan's goal opening the team's scoring for the 2026 season.
- Off the bench, Lukas Wexler provided a spark with three shots and one shot on goal.
- Connor Leistiko recorded a clean sheet, tallying two saves in 90 minutes of scoreless soccer.
Up Next
The Saints will travel to Burnaby, B.C. to face Westmont at 1 p.m. on August 29.
