Trojans Top Mississippi Christian 3-1, Turn Focus to Lee in GSC Semifinals
From preseason eighth to national Top 10 — the Trojans keep rewriting the script as they advance into the GSC Semifinals!
NASHVILLE, TN - The Trevecca Nazarene University men’s soccer team turned a historic regular season into tournament advancement Saturday night, defeating Mississippi Christian 3-1 in the Gulf South Conference quarterfinals at the Trevecca Soccer Pitch. The No. 7 Trojans (13-1-2) move on to the semifinals, avenging last year’s quarterfinal exit against the same opponent.
Picked eighth in the preseason poll, Trevecca claimed its first conference title in program history and the top seed after a remarkable campaign that included a program-record win total and a climb as high as No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches national rankings. The Trojans controlled the first half against a compact Mississippi Christian side that sat deep and limited clear chances, despite Trevecca dominating possession and generating 13 shots. The breakthrough came early in the second half.
Senior captain and midfielder Jack Franklin opened the scoring in the 47th minute. Freshman Haden Brown and others praised the team’s chemistry and compact shape, but Franklin credited speed on the wing. “Thanks to Zion. He’s absolutely rapid,” Franklin said of the assist from Zion Jones. “It kind of saved me on that pass, hit a little heavy, but he cut it back and it kindly fell for me. I just hit it and saw it in the back of the net.”
Chris Douglas added two more goals, one a dazzling individual effort through multiple defenders and another through traffic, to seal the 3-1 result. Mississippi Christian pulled one back briefly, but the Trojans never relinquished control.
Head coach Danny Leavy, in his 18th season, said the first half was a grind. “It was really competitive, pretty tight in the first half. We created some good chances but just couldn’t get it over the line. They were doing a good job of getting bodies behind the ball.” The early second-half goal changed everything. “I felt like that took a lot of tension out of the guys.” Leavy emphasized staying true to the team’s identity. “This is our identity that we’ve been competing with all season. As soon as we go outside of that, we’re opening ourselves up. If we compete within our identity, that gives us the best opportunity to be successful.”
Freshman Haden Brown, who plays left back, called it a “wild battle” that showcased grit and communication. “What we emphasize the most is just communicating between each other and keeping a very compact shape. That was key tonight. The chemistry between the guys—we’re all friends outside of soccer—makes defending a lot easier when you’re doing it with your three best buds.” Brown, making program history as part of the squad, added, “I love it here. Making program history… there’s nothing better.”
Franklin, the senior captain, said the group has bought in completely. “It’s an amazing group of guys. We’ve been lucky to build a culture around a talented group of boys.” He noted the upcoming rematch holds special motivation: Lee University handed Trevecca its only loss of the season, 3-1, earlier in the year.
The Trojans will face Lee in the GSC semifinals Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Loretta P. Spencer Sports Complex in Huntsville, Alabama. Lee advanced with a 2-0 win over Montevallo. A victory would put Trevecca in the conference final and strengthen its case for an NCAA Division II tournament berth as one of the South Region’s top teams.
Leavy said he was not yet focused on the Flames. “I’m just going to enjoy this. I’ll think about Lee later.” Franklin and Brown both expressed hunger for the next challenge. With depth across the roster, strong leadership from Franklin and goalkeeper Hunter Walker, and the confidence of a breakthrough season, the Trojans enter the semifinals believing they can continue rewriting the program’s history.
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