On Saturday, the Kenyon men’s soccer team traveled to Ada to take on Ohio Northern University. In their sole matchup of the week, the Owls tied after coming from behind. The final score was 2-2, leaving their record 4-1-4 before NCAC play begins.

The game started off slow, with a lot of back-and-forth action in the midfield. While the Polar Bears recorded the first few shots of the game, goalkeeper Dominic Pratt ’28 held strong alongside the rest of Kenyon’s backline. Despite the Owls’ five shots throughout the half, both teams went into the break scoreless. 

Ohio Northern started the second period on the front foot, opening the scoring just three minutes into the half. Kenyon struggled to find its offensive groove, and just 10 minutes later, Ohio Northern struck again, leaving the Owls in a daunting 2-0 hole. Finally, after nearly 20 minutes of midfield action and numerous substitutions, Joaquin Sanchez-Korenfeld ’26, assisted by Isaac Cortez ’26, found the back of the net to put Kenyon on the board and narrow the deficit to a single goal. 

After the match, Sanchez-Korenfeld reflected on the moment. “Honestly, it was a mix of disbelief, relief, and pure joy,” he wrote in an email to the Collegian. “It was my first official game in two years after dealing with a two-year-long injury and two surgeries, so just being back on the field was already emotional. Scoring that goal felt like a spark — not just for me personally, but for the team as it put us back in the game after being 2-0 down. All the hard work, rehab sessions and moments of doubt kind of disappeared in that instant. I just felt incredibly grateful to be playing again and contributing to the team.”

Hungry to close the gap, the Owls continued to pressure Ohio Northern’s defenses, peppering the Polar Bears’ goalkeeper with shots. Then, with just four seconds left in the game, Jack Commandeur ’29, assisted by Cortez and Pratt, knocked in a second goal in electrifying fashion as he beautifully rolled the ball into the back of the net to end the match in a tie. The finish was reminiscent of Hayato Ishii ’28’s memorable goal last season against Oberlin College, when he tapped the ball in at the very last second for a buzzer-beater win.

The Owls will be back in action on Saturday as they travel to No. 1 Denison University to open conference play. Sanchez-Korenfeld expressed the magnitude of the upcoming match: “Denison is always a big game. There’s definitely extra motivation knowing it’s a rivalry match to open conference play,” he wrote. “The energy in training has been really focused and intense — we’re watching film, tightening our structure, and working on our transitions. The team feels ready. We know what’s at stake, and we’re preparing with that mindset. We’re excited to start the conference strong.”