Persenico tallies two as the Pride open 2024 with 2-0 win over Judson

ELGIN, Ill. - Facing off against Judson University in non-conference play for the third-straight season, the Clarke University men's soccer team earned their third win in as many tries against the Eagles with a 2-0 road win to kick off their 2024.

This also marks the third-straight shutout for CU over Judson as the Pride have outscored Judson 6-0 over the three games now with Fernando Contreras recording his first clean sheet of the season with a two-save performance over his 90 minutes in net.

Finding the back of the net took until the second half as they went 45 minutes at a 0-0 tie but it only took Luke Persenico about 90 seconds to break the scoreless tie as he scored in the 47th minute on an assist from Hector Medrano to make it 1-0.

About 13 minutes later, the senior forward would step to the penalty spot to score again, doubling the lead to two, making that the third goal he's scored on that field over his last two appearances at Judson near his hometown of St. Charles, Ill.

After Clarke took that 2-0 lead, Judson would take five of their nine second half shots in an attempt to get back into the game as they would outshoot the Pride 9-3 as a whole in the second half and 12-7 over the entirety of the game.

The game's physicality also picked up in the second half as six fouls were called on each side for a total of 12 with seven total bookings with five yellow cards and two red cards, one red on each side.

Clarke men's soccer will return home to play their first game at Burrows Field of the 2024 season when they host Viterbo University as part of a non-conference doubleheader against the V-Hawks on Tuesday, Aug. 27 for a 7:30 PM scheduled kickoff.