Men's Soccer Falls in Home Opener

Goalkeeper Zavala makes career high 12 saves

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (09/03/2023) — The Monmouth College men's soccer team lost their home opener 5-0 to Depauw on Sunday afternoon. Their next four games are on the road before a Sept, 19 home game against Principia

Monmouth goalkeeper Christopher Zavala (New Lenox, Illinois) made a number of spectacular saves in the first half to keep the game scoreless. Depauw scored on a penalty kick in the 20th minute after a Scots foul in the box. That goal was the only one either team scored in the first half.

The Tigers made it 2-0 in the 59th minute on a rocket from distance after a couple more Zavala saves. They scored again a minute later and added two more goals in the final 15 minutes for a 5-0 win.

Freshman Ramon Aguilar (St. Louis, Missouri) had two shots on goal in his home debut for the Scots. Another freshman, Kristofer Ruiz-Camarena (El Paso, Texas) also had a shot on goal for Monmouth. Zavala made 12 saves, matching his career high from 2021.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Aguilar and Ruiz-Camarena had their first career shots on goal. All of Monmouth's shots this season have come from freshmen. Zavala also had 12 saves on October 13, 2021 against Grinnell. His 2022 season-high was seven saves. The Scots go on a four-game, three-state road trip over the next two weeks. Monmouth plays at Rockford University on Friday and at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday. The Scots will play two games in Iowa, at Coe on Sept. 11 and at Upper Iowa two days later. The next home game is Sept. 19 against Principia.