By Ron Smith

Westmont Men's Soccer (3-1) took 94 minutes before it scored against #21 Marymount (3-1-1). When the golden goal from the foot of Augie Andrade found the back of the net to give Westmont a 1-0 win in overtime, head coach Dave Wolf became the 18th NAIA coach to reach 300 career wins.

Austin Lack received a pass in the middle of the field about 40 yards out. Lack passed the ball to Nate Ruble near the right touchline and then broke towards the goal. Ruble passed the ball back to Lack inside the box. Lack then flicked the ball on to Andrade who went one-on-one with the keeper to score the game winner.

"It was a little bit of a back heal by Austin, kind of a little cheeky against-the-grain type of a pass," said Wolf of Lack's pass.

"I thought that the first half felt a little bit like (Saturday's) UC Merced game in the sense that I thought we were second best in a number of areas," assessed Wolf. "I suppose that holding on and getting the game into the second half was a key part of the game for us.

"We had a quick turnaround and you are never sure how that effects your group. We made a few changes and tried to get some fresh legs on the field. We still looked caught a little bit in the moment of Saturday. The first half was a lot for us.

"I really liked our team a lot in the second half. I really liked us in the final third of the field. It was the first time all season that I felt like we were dangerous. We looked really comfortable in the final third of the field in the second half. There was something about the mixture we had in the second half that really worked well.

"My hope is that today can build their confidence a little bit as it pertains to the attacking part of the game."

Wolf, who is in his 26th year as head coach of the Warriors, now has a record of 300-144-47 for a winning percentage of .659.

"The consistency over the years is an important part of it for me," said Wolf, reflecting on the significance of winning 300 games. "We haven't always been great, for sure, but we have aimed for a level of consistency that I think is not easy to maintain.

"It definitely makes me think about (former Westmont head coaches) Russ Carr and Bob Fortosis. I think a lot about those two guys because I inherited a very healthy, successful program. That is indicative of the work that they did and the legacy that they passed on."

In its 51-year history, Westmont Men's Soccer has had only four coaches, all of who boast winning records over .600.

"I think that we moved into an era where winning college soccer games is not easy," said Wolf of his tenure. "I am encouraged by the contribution of this era to keep the legacy going. It's not just me, it's all the players and all the great assistant coaches as well."

After the celebration of the winning goal, the team had another celebration in mind. With his players and assistant coaches standing in the background and his wife Jill at his side, Wolf was presented with a plaque by Westmont Athletic Director Dave Odell from the National Soccer Coaches Association of American that commemorated the accomplishment.

"I didn't image that we would be here for 26 years," said Wolf of his longevity at Westmont. "It was such a dramatic move for Jill and I initially. We always had envisioned ourselves living in the Midwest. My dad worked 38 years at one institution. His first job was teaching Hebrew and Greek at Wheaton. That's all I saw growing up, so it made sense to me – go one place, put down your roots, let them grow deep and live out your days. This seemed a very unlikely place for me to do that because I'm a Chicagoan, a Midwest guy. I've never felt cool enough to live in Santa Barbara.

"I've dealt with a lot of private insecurities about living here and coaching here. But I think those insecurities have turned out to be really good things for me because they have kept me alert and alive and dependent on the Lord. There have been moments when I have felt like I am not cut out for this place or this job. But those private doubts and fears have turned out to be good things.

"Now, it is hard to imagine living any other place and hard to imagine coaching anywhere else. I think I have traded in my blue and orange (of Wheaton, Wolf's alma mater) for my maroon and white (for Westmont). It definitely is home now.

"Jill has obviously experienced that along with me. Next Tuesday, we celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Sometimes we wonder how we ended up here, but that is part of God in our lives – the mystery, the surprise and the 'I've got a little something different in store for you'.

"I have grown up here at Westmont. I probably wasn't ready to be a head coach at 27 or ready to be married. I think of Westmont as both a very merciful and very gracious place. I have experienced 26 plus years of being together with Russel Smelley, John Moore, Jeff Azain, Chris Milner. It was really special to me being down on the field after the game with Russell and John."

Wolf is just the 109th collegiate coach at any level to win 300 games.