By Ron Smith
September 6, 2023
 
(LOS ANGELES) The Warriors of Westmont Men's Soccer (0-3) took a road trip down the 101 Freeway on Wednesday to take on #4 Cal State Los Angeles (2-0) on Wednesday afternoon. The visiting Warriors held their own and then some against the heavily favored Golden Eagles, but ultimately lost by a score of 1-0.
 
"For the majority of the game, I think we played as well as we could," said Westmont's head coach Morgan Cathey. "I am extremely proud of the performance by the guy's game tonight."
 
Asked what the mindset was going into the game, Cathey responded, "To take one step forward in our process. It is very difficult when every game is against a top team in their respective conferences to always be patient with the process. You want to focus on the result and the opponent can be challenging to play against.
 
"What these first three games have shown is that we can compete with the best teams in the country in our divisions for large moments of the game. I think it is the third game in a row that we have out-possessed the opponent by a large amount. It is the second game in a row that we have been in the attacking third far more than the opponent. These are great signs that we are heading in the right direction."
 
The Warriors posted a 54-46% possession advantage against the Golden Eagles, and were in the attacking quarter of the field 16% of the time compared to 12% for the host.
 
"The last part of the equation is to finish our chances and to shore up the moments where the opponent can be dangerous," said Cathey. "Today, I believe we only gave up a few clear chances to an opponent that is very dangerous. We defended the box and I thought we defended transition moments very well today. We showed that we improved a lot in those moments.
 
"We were also much more creative in exploiting the spaces in behind. It showed how difficult it is for an opponent to defend the players we have in space where we are in behind. If we finish even one of the three clear chances we had in the second half, I think the score line would have reflected better what our performance was. I thought we outperformed the opponent most of the game and I don't think it was a fair result. At the same time, this is the cruelty of soccer. We have to use the sting of defeat in moments like this to take another step forward."
 
The score by Los Angeles in the 21st minute started with a shot on goal by Sergio Vega. The shot from 10 yards out on the right side was saved by Westmont goalkeeper Brady Highfill. The diving stop caused the ball to rebound to the left where Oscar Warne was waiting to kick it into the net for the Golden Eagles' goal.
 
"Brady is a goalkeeper that, when called upon to make the big save that keeps us in the game, does it," said Cathey. "Today, he saved their one clear chance. It was just an unfortunate situation that it fell to one of their players. It was a superb save and an unfortunate rebound.
 
"He also controlled his line really well, coming off his line. He also controlled the box well. He is getting in so much better in controlling our rest defense when we are attacking high up the field and limiting when and where the opponent can exploit us in transition. He is being much more engaged in those ways and I thought he did well today."
Westmont had a flurry of chances in the final 35 minutes of play as they controlled the pace of play.
 
Connor Lynch nearly put the Warriors on the board in the 57th minute when he headed a ball sent into the box on a corner kick from Erik Guerrero. However, the ball went just wide of the goal.
 
In the 71st minute, the Warriors had another corner kick that nearly resulted in a score. Leonel Olivo Ortiz found the ball at his feet in front of the goal but had his shot deflected.
 
"I thought in every corner we were dangerous," offered Cathey. "We worked on a short corner routine in training and we eventually played it. It fell to Leo and he had a clear shot. I thought it was going to go in and it got deflected right before it went in. The guys performed it really well."
 
Michael Stull took a shot from the right-hand side in the 73 minute after beating a defender, but had the ball go wide of the goal to the left.
 
Lynch took another shot in the 82nd minute. He dribbled toward the middle of the field from the right side and took a shot from 24 yard out that went just outside the left post.
 
Stull had another header in the 86th minute on a beautifully placed cross by Guerrero. Stull headed the ball down and toward the left side of the goal. However, Julian Aadlandsvik, the Golden Eagle's keeper, got a hand on the ball, slightly redirecting its path. It continued toward the goal where it hit the left post before bouncing harmlessly away.
 
'I think one of the biggest storylines of the game was two or three guys stepping into the game and performing exceptionally well," advanced Cathey. "Our substitutes today elevated the game. When Miguel Mondragon, Leo Olivo Ortiz and Graeme Jordan came into the game, all three of those players helped us continue to push and take initiative in the game. That really propelled our team in great ways.
 
"To single out Miguel, he was awesome today. That was the most minutes he has played in his career and he did it on that stage. What we were asking him to do was to invert as a fullback to come into midfield and be very brave on the ball in tight spaces against a very good team – and he was fantastic.
 
"Braeden Pryor also had a great game. I thought he was dangerous almost every time he was on the ball. That is great to see him continue to take another big step forward."
 
Westmont will look to take another step when it hosts Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday at Thorrington Field. The Toros (0-1) were named the top-ranked team in the Division II West Region in the preseason poll by the United Soccer Coaches. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.