For the first time in program history, Taylor men’s soccer began the 2026 season without a loss in its first eight games.
Now boasting a 6-1-2 record, they outscored opponents 20-3 in their first eight games before Saint Mary-Woods upset the Trojans 4-2 on Sept. 16.
Entering his second year as head coach, Parker Aaron has continued to build the foundations of the team, recruiting players that match his playing style.
“So there’s two types of players: you have your athletes, and then the guys that are good on the ball,” Aaron said. “We brought in a bunch of athletes, which was how I want to play. So being able to implement the press this year and the counter-press…that has been the biggest piece (to our success).”
A press is a proactive way of putting pressure on the opposing team in order to severely limit their options while in possession of the ball. In a counter-press, players will react to losing the ball by converging on the opposing player with the ball to try and recover it.
Another big factor to the Trojan’s success has been a factor beyond the game and that is the people that show up to each and every home game and give the Trojans an edge when playing in Upland.
“The crowd here is just excellent and nobody has the crowd we do, especially for soccer,” junior goalkeeper Connor Shaw said. “I feel way more comfortable at home.”
Shaw holds 91 saves across his 31 career games with the Trojans, good for a .701 save percentage. He also finished fourth in the CL in saves last year with 62.
Another big emphasis for the Trojans is the internal team community built from the moment a new player steps on campus. The program welcomed sixteen new players this year.
Before signing a player, Aaron looks for high character and a strong relationship with the Lord that fits the culture of the team. He sees soccer not as a game, but rather as a way to grow his players as people.
“Soccer is just a tool and a mechanism for us to develop and become better men, strong men of faith, leadership and a character who leads, so they’re prepared to be husbands and fathers.” Aaron said.
Goalkeeper Bryce Medina and forward Matt Yoder, two seniors on the team, embody the kind of leadership Aaron looks for, conducting Bible studies and taking younger teammates under their wings. They said they learned how to lead from previous seniors and are now relaying these skills to the newcomers.
“It’s important that we show that we generally care for them, because that is what helped us – that community and intentionality within our team,” Yoder said.
Yoder also leads the team on the field as a captain. The veteran has scored nine goals in 60 games in his collegiate career.
Having community on the team helps solidify the tougher moments as well as improve communication across the board. Shaw said having better chemistry among the team helps players on the field anticipate what their teammates are doing and thinking despite a spatial disconnect across the field.
Taylor has concluded the non-conference portion of their season and began conference play on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at Bethel University. Their next game will take place at Goshen on Wednesday, Sept. 30.
“Be on the lookout for more wins, that’s definitely our goal,” Shaw said. “I think we have a great team and I’m really excited to keep playing with them.”
