FRANKLIN, Ind. — The Spalding University men's soccer team earned its first victory of the 2026 season on Friday evening, edging out Franklin College 1–0 in a hard-fought contest at Faught Stadium. Midfielder
Jose Huerta provided the game's lone goal on a second-half penalty kick, while goalkeeper
Gabe Brangers posted a three-save clean sheet to secure the triumph for the Golden Eagles.
Both squads battled through a tight, defensive-heavy opening half, struggling to create clear-cut scoring opportunities. Spalding managed just two shots in the first 45 minutes while completely suffocating Franklin's attack, holding the Grizzlies without a single shot attempt before halftime. The game's pivotal moment finally arrived in the 62nd minute when a foul by Franklin inside the box awarded Spalding a penalty kick. Huerta stepped up to the spot and calmly buried the strike at the 61:47 mark to give the Golden Eagles a 1–0 lead.
Desperate for an equalizer, Franklin turned up the offensive pressure in the final 30 minutes, firing nine second-half shots toward the net. However, Brangers and the Spalding defense remained resolute under pressure, turning away all three shots on target to seal the shutout victory. Spalding finished with a 4–3 edge in shots on goal and held a 4–0 advantage in corner kicks for the match.
With the win, Spalding moves to 1–5–1 on the season, while Franklin drops to 0–4–2. The Golden Eagles will aim to keep the momentum going when they head on the road to play Asbury University on Monday, September 21.
