By Ron Smith
November 8, 2023
 
(SAN DIEGO, Calif.) Westmont Men's Soccer (6-7-3, 6-2-1 PacWest) battled to a 0-0 tie with the Sea Lions of Point Loma Nazarene (11-4-1, 7-1-1) on Wednesday afternoon. The Warriors outplayed the Sea Lions in the second half, but couldn't come up with the lone goal that would have won the game.
 
"I think, throughout the game, we played very well," assessed Westmont's head coach Morgan Cathey. "We were very successful from the outset of the game to enforce what we wanted to do.
 
"We found a couple of moments where, if we were a little sharper, we could have capitalized early on."
 
Westmont tallied 10 shots to Point Loma's 11, placing three shots on goal to the Sea Lions' two.
 
Both of Point Loma's shots on goal took place early in the contest. In the ninth minute, Felix Calero took a shot that was covered up by Westmont goalkeeper Brady Highfill. In the 11th minute, Highfill dove to his right to keep Austin Lavell's shot from 16-yards out from finding the netting.
 
The Warriors' defense did not permit the Sea Lions another shot on goal in the remaining 78 minutes.
 
"The entirety of our back line was incredible throughout the game," praised Cathey. "To play the way we played, and to do it as long as we did it on less rest than Point Loma, says an incredible amount about this team and this group of guys."
 
The first shot on goal by Westmont took place in the 28th minute. Connor Lynch took a shot from 22 yards that was headed to the left corner of the goal. However, a diving deflection by Point Loma keeper Finn Simmersbach diverted the ball left of the goal.
 
"We were very successful from the outset of the game to enforce what we wanted to do," noted Cathey. "As the game went on, we grew more into the game than Point Loma. In the second half, we definitely had the better opportunities. Unfortunately, we didn't capitalize on the one or two clear opportunities we had. It was a really good performance from our guys."
 
The Warriors' most dangerous opportunity came in the 50th minute when Connor Lynch attempted a volley from 10-yards in front of the goal. To the Warriors' dismay, the ball sailed just above the crossbar.
 
The second shot on goal came in the 53rd minute when Erik Guerrero sent a shot along the ground from 22-yards that was corralled by Simmersbach.
 
In the 89th minute, Guerrero lofted a pass into the 18-yard box that found Landon Amaral. The header from Amaral, however, was nabbed by the keeper to end the threat.
 
As a result of today's game, Point Loma has clinched at least a share of the PacWest Conference Championship and has secured the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Division II West Regional.
 
Westmont, which picked up a point in the standings as a result of the game, is tied with Dominican (8-5-3, 6-2-1) for second place. Both Dominican and Westmont have a chance to claim a share of the championship should Point Loma stumble in their final game on Saturday at Fresno Pacific (5-8-1, 2-5-1).
 
"I think that our guys have done an incredible job to get better every game," said Cathey. "They are incredibly professional and I have utmost confidence that we are not just going to be prepared, but we are going to be the best possible version of ourselves going into Saturday's game."
 
The Warriors will play on Saturday, taking on Concordia (6-8, 5-4) at Thorrington Field. Prior to the game, which starts at 11:30 a.m., Westmont will honor seven seniors in the final regular season game of their careers.
 
"We feel we have a lot to play for and you never know what happens in the last game," expressed Cathey. "Soccer is a funny game. If we win and Point Loma loses, we are still right there. We want to put that pressure on them. Our guys have done everything they can do to put themselves in that position. I am so excited to see how much more these guys can grow from now until Saturday."