FRANKLIN, Ind. —
Bryce Kinnaman's two-goal performance, including a decisive strike at 81:01, propelled Wabash to a 3-2 victory over Franklin on Tuesday at Faught Stadium. The Little Giants put six of their eight shots on goal and held the Grizzlies to six shots, four on frame.
Wabash (1-0) built an early first-half lead, with
Alfredo Campos scoring off a
Danny Tkachuk assist just 38 seconds in and later setting up Kinnaman at 15:57 to extend the advantage to 2-0. Franklin (0-1) answered in the 23rd minute when Russell Bilohlavek scored, cutting the Little Giants' lead to 2-1. Wabash continued to generate chances after that, earning a corner kick in the 30th minute before Campos missed just wide and
Darinel Maus put a shot on goal that Austin White saved in the 38th minute. The Little Giants carried the 2-1 lead into halftime.
After the Grizzlies tied the match in the 70th minute, Kinnaman scored off a Campos assist at 81:01 to put Wabash ahead 3-2. Earlier, the Little Giants played through a physical stretch from 48:54 to 57:37 that included yellow cards to
Ty Freedman and
Danny Escobedo, while Campos put a shot on goal that Austin Horner saved.
Gabe Sanich recorded saves on shots by Emilio Quintero in the 60th minute and Ulises Rivera in the 78th. The Little Giants also generated second-half chances through
Ethan Simmons and
Danny Tkachuk before Kinnaman's late goal, and the 3-2 score held through the end of the match.
Kinnaman scored twice, including the game-winning goal, and put both of his shots on frame. Campos finished with a goal and two assists for four points while taking three shots, two on goal. Tkachuk added an assist and one shot. Sanich played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded two saves.
Russell Bilohlavek scored an unassisted goal and finished with two shots. Ulises Rivera tallied a goal and put both of his shots on frame. Tripp O'Brien recorded the Grizzlies' lone assist.
Up next, the Little Giants host Bluffton University on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at Fischer Field in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
