Double Overtime Drama Ends In a Draw
                                                                                                                                                                            
By Zach DeMarcus
September 1, 2017
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) In a game that required multiple stoppages to award players water due to excessive heat, the Westmont Warriors (0-1-1) and the UC Merced Bobcats (2-0-2) ended a hard fought, double-overtime game in a draw.
 
This was an exciting stalemate that was filled with tough soccer throughout the duration of the contest. Both teams were going after each other, neither one willing to give the other any ground. That's not to say the teams didn't have their chances.
 
The first half brought a pace of play that was superb. As Santa Barbara was being hit with an enormous heat wave, it was interesting to see both teams fighting with a tenacity that never let up.
 
The Warriors finished the first half with three shots, two of which were on goal. In the 32^nd minute Augie Andrade created some space for himself and flicked the ball into the box where Jose Vasquez fired a shot right at the keeper.
 
UC Merced finished the half with four shots, one of which was on goal.
 
The second half provided equal intensity throughout. In the 67^th minute the Bobcats strung together a nice passing sequence that left Estevan Salgado with a clear look at goal. Lalo Delgado made a spectacular diving save to keep the score even.
 
The Warriors were in a similar situation in the 72^nd minute. After a corner kick, Augie Andrade had the ball on the left side. He whipped in a cross where Tim Heiduk headed the ball on target, forcing UC Merced's keeper, Bernardo Garcia, to dive to his right where he just barely nudged the ball out of play, once again keeping the score even.
 
More drama came about in the first overtime when Jose Vasquez fired a ball past UC Merced's keeper which nailed the crossbar, bouncing straight down and out of the goal box. Yazi Hernandez then headed the ball over the target. There was discrepancy over whether the ball had fully crossed the plane into the goal, which would have resulted in an immediate Westmont victory.
 
The shot was declared not a goal, and play continued.
 
In the second overtime the Bobcats had a chance to finish the game when Salgado dribbled in, finding himself one-on-one against Delgado, and ripped a shot that sailed over the crossbar.
 
Westmont head coach Dave Wolf had these thoughts when asked about the game, "It was a hard fought game between two competitive teams that have some intentions of being successful in the NAIA this year.
 
 
"I think if we're looking for even small steps in the right direction, we can consider the shutout to be one of those. I thought that we got in to the final third fairly well, but we didn't create a lot of great looks at goal. The chance that Jose had was the big one. I think he took it relatively well, just a bit unfortunate for it not to go in."
 
When asked about the defensive effort Wolf responded with, "I thought the back row was good. It was a good game for Mason (Garell). I thought Sam Martin coming on did very well. Any time you keep a team at zero you've got to feel good about that. The back four and Sean (Nakaoka) in our defensive midfield role were very good. I'll take that that and we'll move forward."
 
The Warriors will head on the road next week, traveling to Salem, Oregon for two games. They play Corban (10) on Friday, September 8 at 4:00 p.m. and The Evergreen State College on Saturday at the same time.