By Rob Goodrow
October 19, 2019
 
(SANTA CLARITA, Calif.) The NAIA #4 ranked Westmont Men's Soccer Team played The Master's Mustangs to a scoreless draw on Saturday. It was the first tie and just the second overtime game for Westmont this season. Westmont also recorded its seventh shutout of the season.
 
The Warriors (10-1-1, 4-0-1 GSAC) remain unbeaten in conference play and still hold the top spot while the Mustangs (6-5-2, 1-2-1 GSAC) drop to eighth place. According to Westmont assistant coach Johnny Whallon, the play of the host team did not reflect their record and ranking.
 
"Master's is a team much better than their record and we didn't want to overestimate them. To come down here and get a draw, is not exactly what we wanted but given how good they are we feel like there are a lot of positives from today," said Whallon. "We had a goalie change and still got a shutout and a point against a good team at a place that I think is the hardest place to play in the league."
 
The game was not without offense as the Warriors outshot The Master's 16 to 14, with eight shots on goal to just four by the host team.
 
In the second period, senior forward Lucky Puengrod broke free for a one-on-one chance at the box but was turned away by Mustang goalkeeper Price Anderson for one of his eight saves on the day.
 
"That was a close one, Lucky had the goalie point blank and their guy just made an amazing save," recounted Whallon.
 
Senior Francisco "Panchito" Castro led all Warriors with five shots on the day. It was Castro and Puengrod who had the next best scoring chance for Westmont with nine seconds remaining in the second overtime period off a free kick. As Castro approached the ball for a full kick, he instead nudged it over to Puengrod for a shot that cleared the wall of defenders and looked promising, but passed just wide of the right post.
 
Late in the second period, with less than ten minutes in regulation and their focus squarely on offense, the Warriors lost their All-American goalkeeper, Edward "Lalo" Delgado to an action related injury. Sophomore Isaiah Bobadilla replaced Delgado and immediately had a Mustangs corner kick to defend.
 
"I'm thrilled with how the guys handled the goalie swap the way they did. Isaiah Bobadilla grew leaps and bounds today," said Whallon. "Losing a starting goalie is a big deal in this league and Boba (Bobadilla) stepped right up. I think his teammates were impressed with him. He was ready."
 
Whallon noted that Delgado is expected to be back before the Warriors' next game and that seniors Sean Nakaoka and Tim Heiduk were especially solid on defense. He also admitted that his optimism about the outcome today was not shared amongst the players.

"At the end of the day, I love that our guys are not content with a 0-0 draw. They are disappointed and that's a really good ingredient to our approach for the remainder of the season," said Whallon.
 
The Warriors again take to the road for their next game at San Diego Christian, Saturday October 26. Game time is 12:00 p.m.