Joliet, IL – The Beloit College men's soccer displayed remarkable resilience and an impressive offensive surge in the second half to clinch a 3-2 victory over the University St. Francis this evening. After trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Buccaneers (2-2, 0-0 MWC) roared back with three unanswered goals in the second half, showcasing their determination and scoring prowess.

The first half saw a defensive battle, with the Fighing Saints (0-3-1, 0-0-0 CCAC) breaking the deadlock in the 38th minute with a goal. Beloit's goalkeeper, David Staats (Meridian, ID), was kept busy, making several crucial saves throughout the match, including stopping a penalty kick in the 6:57 mark and denying multiple shots from St. Francis players.

However, the tide turned dramatically in the second half. The Bucs found their rhythm and began to dominate the attacking third. In the 55th minute, Matteo Jijon leveled the score with an assist from Eziah Hernandez, igniting Beloit's comeback. The momentum continued to swing in Beloit's favor when Hernandez converted a penalty kick in the 79th minute, giving Beloit their first lead of the game.

The hero of the day for the Buccaneers was Melvin Salazar, who netted the winning goal in the 86th minute, assisted by Elijah Hartberg (Stoughton, Wis.), securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory. This late-game heroics cemented Beloit's control and sealed their second win of the season.

Jijon, had 3 shots on goal and one score, and E. Hernandez, contributed on both a goal and an assist. Staats was instrumental in the win, recording 8 saves over the 90 minutes.

The Buccaneers get a few days off before battling the Regents of Rockford Univeristy on Wednesday on the road. Kick off from Sam Greeley Field is set for 3:30 pm on Wednesday the 10th.