The Blinn College men’s soccer team earned its second consecutive Region XIV shutout with a 2-0 home win over Jacksonville College on Tuesday at Rankin Field in Brenham, Texas.
The victory pushed the Buccaneers’ overall record to 8-4-2 and their region mark to 5-3.
“The team played well defensively this evening and thoroughly deserved the clean sheet,” Blinn head coach said. “It was a solid collective effort and any win in the region is a good win.”
The two clubs played to a first-half stalemate, and the match remained deadlocked until freshman midfielder Nawfal Hadj-Hamou took an assist from fellow freshman midfielder Charlie Goldsmith on a corner kick and looped a bending line-drive shot through the Jacksonville defense and past its goalkeeper.
(Pictured: Blinn’s Devon Arnold makes a play on the ball during a match against Jacksonville College on Oct. 1, 2024)
Hadj-Hamou’s tally in the 60th minute was all the offense the Bucs would need, but freshman forward Devin Arnold provided his team some insurance with a goal in the 76th minute. Freshman midfielders John Cooper and Joe Coyle assisted on the play.
Blinn out-shot Jacksonville 19-4, had seven shots on goal, and held a 7-5 edge in corner kicks.
In goal for the Bucs was freshman keeper Connor Vela, who earned his seventh victory of the season while collecting one save.
Next up for Blinn is a non-region home tilt against Ranger College scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, at Rankin Field.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 49 national championships since 1987.
