The Saints kicked off the 2021 fall sports season with men's and women's cross country participating in the KCC Falcon Classic in De Soto, Kan., on Saturday morning, and men's soccer on the road at Ozark Christian College in Joplin.

Playing for the first time in five years after the men's soccer program was reinstated last year, the Saints knocked off the Ambassadors, 4-1, in a non-conference matchup.

Central Christian (1-0-0) got two goals from Connor Clime, while Lane Cater and Jonathon Sanchez scored a goal each. Davin Welsh had two assists and Gerson Ramos recorded one assist.

The Saints led 3-0 at halftime and scored their fourth goal early in the second half. Ozark Christian answered with their only score soon after, then the game was called approximately 15 minutes early due to lightning in the area.

At the Falcon Classic, men's and women's cross country had four runners compete against six other schools — Baptist Bible College, Calvary University, Cottey College, Faith Baptist Bible College, Kansas Christian College, and Ozark Christian College — on a wet and muddy course at Lexington Lake Park.

Demi Huck finished 11th in the 4-kilometer race with a time of 22:21. Ellena Thomas took 21st in a time of 36:07 and Stephanie Cabrera was 22nd with a time of 36:50.

On the men's side, the Saints' only runner was Sean Small, who finished 16th in the 5-kilometer race in a time of 31:56.