By Jacob Norling
September 14, 2022
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont head coach Dave Wolf and The Master's head coach Jim Rickard both began their respective tenures at the helm in 1991. Since then, the two have shared the pitch on 42 separate occasions.
 
Coming into Wednesday, Wolf had won 20, Rickard had won 13, and the two had also tied on nine occasions. By the end of Wednesday the Warriors pushed Wolf's total to 21 after Westmont (3-0-1) defeated The Master's (1-4-2) in a non-conference matchup by a score of 3-0.
 
"It's always an honor to share the field with Jim," said Wolf. "Our relation and our history supersedes any single game or any single result. He's done an incredible job for years leading that program and I have no doubt his team will only be better in the future.
 
"We'll have a very difficult match to play come October 8."
 
Coincidentally, both head coaches entered today with 355 career wins, with both men holding the highest mark in each program's history. Thanks to a dominant effort by the Warriors, Wolf left the day with 356.
 
"We've got a little bit of momentum on our side now," nodded Wolf. "Three wins in a row, two clean-sheets in a row, we're making progress.
 
"Today was a different type of Westmont-Master's game. They were a little understaffed today, so we have to be a little realistic about the result versus what we can expect come October. That being said, our group is moving forward. Our guys also weren't fully satisfied with their performance, and I take that as a good sign."
 
Scoring opened in the 23rd minute when an immediate trio of passes led to Braeden's prior second goal in as many matches. Captain Landon Amaral began the sequence when he sent a long-rolling pass from Westmont's own third of the field all the way up to Prior at the center of the pitch.
 
Pryor received and redirected the pass with one touch, playing the ball to Aldo Becerril who was stationed five yards to his right. Immediately following his touch, Pryor darted towards the top of the eighteen. Becerril wasted no time in his own right, also taking a single touch himself.
 
Becerril's pass met Pryor in full stride in the 18-yard box, leading the striker to take one touch to his right before firing to the back of the net for the first goal of the match.
 
After several chances to double their advantage, Westmont didn't break through again until the 60th minute. On this occasion, Michael Stull created the opportunity when he intercepted a Mustangs' pass less than ten yards from the box.
 
Stull carried the ball forward, gearing up for a shot of his own, before colliding with a pair of Mustangs in a play that saw all three men hit the deck. Both teams visibly paused, expecting a foul of some sorts to be called. However, the whistle never came.
 
After a moment of stillness, freshman Erik Guerrero took control of the ball that had rolled away from the grounded trio. With no one to challenge him, Guerrero set up his lethal left foot and hooked a ball inside the far-post to put the Warriors up 2-0.
 
It was Guerrero's first goal as a Warrior.
 
"Frankly, we were surprised as well, waiting for a foul to be called," said Wolf. "The foul wasn't called, and he wrapped his left foot around it and finished it.
 
"Not only was that a technical finish, but a very intelligent finish. If Braeden is a combination of strength and speed, Erik is a combination of IQ and technique."
 
Pryor added to his rapidly-growing highlight reel minutes after Guerrero began his own. For Pryor, his second goal of the match came when Stull dribbled the ball past a pair of Mustangs to the top of the 18. Stull then opted to play the ball to Pryor on his left, who had no one between him and the keeper.
 
This time, Pryor set up his left foot, and once again, he found the same result as earlier. Pryor's third goal in his last two matches solidified Westmont's hold on the game.
 
"Braeden was a handful today," assured Wolf. "Goal-scorers are unique individuals who often operate based on where their confidence levels are. Right now, Braeden's confidence is pretty high. He's a tough matchup because he is powerful, he has pace, and he is just one tough combination to deal with."
 
At the end of 90 minutes, the Warriors had surrendered only one shot on goal in what turned out to be a 3-0 win, and their second consecutive shutout..
 
Following the match, Wolf reflected on the last time these two teams met, a 3-1 win by The Master's last October.
 
"I read the team a couple quotes from the post-game article after last October's match," said Wolf. "That match was a low point for us. At that point, we were 2-4 at home. We won only two games at home all season, and this season, we've already won three.
 
"I told the team they deserve some credit. Even if they weren't fully satisfied with their performance, they're making strides right now."
 
The Warriors return to the pitch on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. when they host Fresno Pacific as part of Dave Wolf Celebration Weekend. Festivities begin on Friday at 4:00 p.m. on Lovik Field where Westmont will host a ceremony honoring Wolf and his contributions to the community.
 
All are welcome to the ceremony on Lovik. Tickets for Saturday's match, along with links to live coverage, are available on the Westmont Athletics website.