(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Men's Soccer (0-4) hosted the Toros of Cal State Dominguez Hills (2-0-1) on Saturday afternoon at Thorrington Field but came up on the wrong side of a 2-0 score.
 
The Warriors controlled 57% of the possession in the opening half, but gave up a goal in the 43rd minute to fall behind 1-0.
 
"I think we did enough to win the game," said Westmont's head coach Morgan Cathey. "We created enough quality chances. Early on, I thought we exploited them the way we wanted to. I thought we weren't as sharp in transition in the first 10 minutes while the game was a little bit chaotic, but once the game settled, from minute 10 on, I thought we were in real control."
 
The Toros took the lead when Brandon Lee scored off a ricochet. Michael McKibbin received a cross from Kenny Lee and headed the ball toward the goal. Westmont keeper Brady Highfill prevented the score, but could not corral the ball. Brandon Lee got the ball at his feet and after wrestling for it with Highfill, fired into an empty net from two yards out.
 
"To concede a goal the way we did, took a lot of the life out of us," acknowledged Cathey. "It was a very controllable moment we didn't control. It came from a lack of communication, hard work and commitment. I thought their desire and their commitment showed more in the second half than ours.
 
"Ultimately, that is disappointing, but at the same time for our guys, now four games in a row, missing chances, being in situations and conceding goals like the first one today, I think it is hard to fight back. It is great that our character is being challenged in this way. That showed in other moments today in pretty big ways."
 
The Toros' second goal came in the 60th minute. After Highfill stopped a point-blank shot off a cross, Michael McKibbin gathered the ball near the end line and passed it back to Martine Velasquez who was charging into the box. Velasquez' shot from 11 yards out went into the far-side netting.
 
"I hope that our guys understand what the game is teaching us about the character of our team and how important that (lesson) is. I'm excited for guys to grab hold of the opportunity to take more ownership and to start leading each other in these ways.
 
"I think we were really good for large parts of the game, and Dominguez Hills is a very good team filled with very good players. They had to use 23 of their 26 players and that is a testament to us. Especially in the last 20 minutes of the first half, it was there for us to take the game.
 
"It is crucial that we learn every lesson we can from today and that we understand every lesson we learned from the last four games gets applied. Today, that was my disappointment. I don't think we applied the lessons we have learned in as good a way as we can."
 
Westmont will play its next game on the road, taking on the Cal State San Marcos Cougars. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
 
"Thursday, we play one of the best teams in the CCAA. San Marcos is off to a screaming start. They will present us with some very different problems. Playing at San Marcos is always an incredibly difficult place to play."
 
Next Saturday, the Warriors return to Santa Barbara to host The Mustangs of The Master's, also at 3:00 p.m.