JOLIET, Ill. --- The University of St. Francis men's soccer team battled back twice to force a pair of ties, but the Fighting Saints could not do it a third time in dropping a 3-2 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference decision to Judson University on the turf of Busey Bank Field at Joliet Memorial Stadium.

The setback means the Saints (6-8-2, 4-6-1) will need a win over Cardinal Stritch University combined with a Saint Xavier University loss or tie to Judson on Saturday if they want to have their season continue.  USF currently sits one point behind Saint Xavier for the eighth and final spot in the CCAC Tournament with the final game of the regular season on Saturday.

Sergio Fernandez-Arango did all he could in trying to keep St. Francis' playoff hopes alive with a pair of goals.  Both forced ties in the second half.

Judson's Rafael Rocha had a goal and an assist to lead Judson (7-5-4, 6-2-2).  He scored the game's first goal at the ten-minute mark and provided the assist on the game-winner in the closing seven minutes.

Fernandez-Arango forced the first tie four minutes into the second half on a feed from Ander Santamarta.  After Judson regained the advantage in the 60th minute, Fernandez-Arango was right there again three minutes later to answer that score.  Anthony Derka provided the assist on the Saints' second goal.

Carson Heglund, one of four seniors to be recognized before the match, stopped five shots in goal for the Saints. 

Judson outshot St. Francis, 21-17, with the Eagles also holding an 8-6 edge in shots on goal.

Notes: Besides Heglund, seniors Leonardo Haro, Mariano Kotrba and Sebastian Mireles were all honored before the game … Fernandez-Arango's two goals marked his third multi-goal game of the season and fourth of his collegiate career.  The two goals also allowed him to regain sole possession of the team lead in that category … Santamarta's assist was his second of the year, while Derka's was his third … The loss was the Saints' sixth of the season by just one goal … USF closes out the regular season on Saturday when it travels to Milwaukee to face Cardinal Stritch at 7:30 pm.  

Links to live coverage can be found at gofightingsaints.com/coverage. You can also keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on Twitter @USFSaints.