The DePauw men’s soccer team impressively opened their home game on Sept. 3, cruising to a 6-0 win over Franklin at Reavis Stadium.
First Half: DePauw Takes Control Before the Break
The match began with Franklin defending deep, but DePauw wasted no time breaking through. In the sixth minute, Joey Black ‘27 opened the night with the first score. Moments later, the Tigers thrilled the crowd with two quick strikes from Roman Girandola ‘28 and Julian Bell ‘28, putting DePauw firmly in control.
Before the half-hour mark, Vance Borozinski ‘27 found himself in the right place at the right time to slot in a left-footed finish, making it 4 - 0.
Franklin’s best chance came just before halftime when a bicycle-kick attempt that rattled the crossbar and landed safely into the goalkeeper’s hands.
Second Half: Tigers Seal the Win
DePauw continued their dominance after the break. Sami Ahmed ‘29 finished calmly to extend the score to 5 - 0. His goal sparked a joyful celebration as his teammates mobbed him in a group hug - a memorable moment early in his young college soccer career. An offside call denied another chance, but DePauw kept pressing.
The sixth and final goal came in the 73rd minute, when Sam Elliott ‘27 chipped the ball into the net from a corner kick delivery.
In the closing minutes, Franklin’s goalkeeper stepped out of the penalty box and surged forward to launch a long ball toward his strikers, sparking a counterattack. DePauw then nearly punished the gamble, but the shot clattered off the crossbar and bounced on the line before the opponent’s goalkeeper scrambled back to recover—preserving the clean sheet.
For fans eager to catch the Tigers in action again, check out upcoming games on Instagram: @depauwtigers and @depauwmenssoccer or visit the DePauw Official Athletics homepage.
