Jesuit Dallas opened the 2018 season with a penalty-kick victory over Bishop Lynch in the first round of the 38th Annual Jesuit-Meintser Tournament at Postell Stadium. Sparked by a pair of goals from junior Diego Sierra and three consecutive penalty saves from senior Connor Tullis, the Blue and Gold advanced to the tournament semifinal against Belton. The Tigers would hand the Rangers their first loss of the season, 3-0, on Friday evening to send Jesuit to the third-place game, set for a 12 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, Jan. 12.
 
Sophomore Benton Bacile made a splash in his varsity debut, scoring the game-winning penalty to hand the Rangers a 3-2 advantage in the extra session. Sierra scored the Rangers' first goal of the season on a penalty in the 22nd minute; junior Renin Seely earned the penalty after being taken down in the box on a free ball inside the 18-yard box, which Sierra powered past the Bishop Lynch goalkeeper to tie the game at 1-1.
 
In the second half, senior Chris Flabiano intercepted a Lynch pass at midfield. Flabiano found Sierra on a line towards the net, and the senior responded with a powerful shot which rebounded directly to the right of the goal. Sophomore Ryan Shea, playing in his first varsity contest, passed across the goal box to Sierra who rifled a kick into the upper left portion of the goal to put the Rangers up, 2-0. Lynch would score in the waning moments of the bout, shaking off a 10-man disadvantage to score in the 66th minute and send the game to penalties.
 
Bishop Lynch forward Jonathan Bruce, who scored both Friar goals in regulation, struck first to give Lynch an early 1-0 lead in penalties. After a Jesuit miss and another successful Friar try gave Lynch a 2-0 advantage, Shea put the Rangers on the board with a successful kick to cut the lead back to one.
 
Tullis denied the following two attempts while senior James Koshakji found the back of the net to tie up the proceedings at 2-2. A third stop from Tullis set the stage for Bacile, who ripped the game-winner into the bottom right side of the net to clinch the win.
 
Belton out-shot the Rangers, 11-5 on Saturday as the Blue and Gold were unable to capitalize on five corner kicks and seven Tiger fouls, only placing one shot on target throughout the contest. Belton scored a pair of set-piece goals in the first half before clinching the win with a late tally in the second.
 
Jesuit Dallas will return to action on Saturday against Nolan Catholic in the third-place game. The Vikings fell to Skyline on Friday evening against Skyline as the Raiders advanced to the championship game, 12-11, in penalty kicks. Kickoff for the third-place game is scheduled for 12 p.m. from Postell Stadium.