LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Wartburg College men's soccer squad (9-3-3, 5-1-0) picked up its sixth shutout of the season Saturday night, blanking Nebraska Wesleyan University (5-8-1, 2-4-0) 1-0 on the road at Abel Stadium.
Alima Mmunga (5) found
Drew DeSmidt (2) for a goal early on in the 15th-minute that proved to be the decider, as goalkeeper
Caleb Cross provided a trio of saves in goal.
Wartburg picked up its fourth-straight victory over NWU.
How It Happened
First Half
- The Knights generated two corner kicks and three shots from 6:04 to 7:17, then Neb. Wesleyan answered with a corner and a shot off the top woodwork.
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Drew DeSmidt put The Orange and Black in front 1-0 at 14:06 off an assist from
Alima Mmunga.
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Caleb Cross saved Elijah Soliz's shot at 34:17 after Neb. Wesleyan earned back-to-back corners, and The Knights later played through a foul-heavy stretch before adding two corner kicks at 45:00.
- The Orange and Black carried the 1-0 lead into halftime.
Second Half
- The Knights started the half with four shots on goal in the first eight minutes, with Mmunga,
Flori Gembo and
Diego Sanchez all forcing saves from Christian Lindseth.
- From 53:54 to 62:16, the half featured three Neb. Wesleyan yellow cards and five fouls. The Orange and Black added a
Sawyer Udelhofen shot at 57:05 before Neb. Wesleyan generated four shots from 57:19 to 62:00, including
Caleb Cross' save on Max Matthies at 61:53.
- Neb. Wesleyan kept up the pressure later with five shots from 69:14 to 79:01, but Cross made a save on Connor Currence at 74:04 and The Knights kept the half scoreless.
- After Udelhofen was shown a red card at 84:01, The Orange and Black created two late chances, with Cross' shot saved at 84:13 and Gembo missing left at 86:18, and the scoreless half closed out The Knights' 1-0 win.
Top Performers
Drew DeSmidt
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- one goal
- game-winning goal
- two shots
Caleb Cross
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- three saves
- one shutout
- 90 minutes in goal
Alima Mmunga
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- one assist
- two shots on goal
Flori Gembo
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- three shots
- two shots on goal
Up Next
Up next, The Knights soccer team travels to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to face Coe College on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, at 7:30 p.m.
