By Ron Smith
October 5, 2024
 
(SAN DIEGO) The foggy and gloomy conditions in which Westmont Men's Soccer (4-3-3, 1-2 PacWest) took on Point Loma (6-1-2, 4-0) seemed appropriate as the Warriors fell 3-1 to the Sea Lions.
 
"I was very happy with our first half," said Westmont's head coach Morgan Cathey. "I think their chances, or any momentum they had in the first half, were moments we could easily solve, or that we did to ourselves. I felt like we were in control and played well. We sustained a lot of pressure on them in the first half. I think we had four corners and 10 shots in the first half. I think that response was great."
 
The Sea Lions scored the only goal of the opening frame, putting the ball in the net in the 19th minute. A shot by Elijah Langford was saved by Westmont goalkeeper Brady Highfill, but the rebound went back to Point Loma. Langford passed the ball to Felix Calero whose shot hit the right upright and bounced into the goal to make it a 1-0 game.
 
"Unfortunately, a lot of the game happens in the boxes and they were better than us in the boxes in the first half," noted Cathey. "They blocked so many of our shots and chances and they took their chances really well. That was a big indication in the first half.
 
"In the second half, it seemed like we ran out of steam again. The response and leadership on the field wasn't present in the second half. That is where we are disappointed in ourselves – seeing us let ourselves down in that way."
 
The Sea Lions recorded their second goal in the 60th minute when Emmett Layman scored from 15-yards out on the left side, putting the ball in the right-side netting.
 
An intercepted pass in the midfield led to the Sea Lions taking a 3-0 lead when Christopher Burgos Lara scored from 15-yards out on the right side in the 81st minute.
 
"Their third goal was the most disheartening moment in the game for us," acknowledged Cathey. "It was such a bad moment from us and the compounding of mistakes."
 
Westmont's goal came in the 83rd minute. Erik Guerrero sent a freekick into the box where a handball was called against the Sea Lions. Connor Lynch took the resulting penalty kick which ricocheted off the right post and back into play. Cash Anderholt ran on the loose ball and drilled it into the top of the netting.
 
"When we got the goal back, we saw some life come back into us, but it was too little, too late," said Cathey.
 
The Warriors will next play on Thursday when they travel to Costa Mesa to take on the Lions of Vanguard (3-2-1, 2-1 PacWest).
 
Perhaps it will be a bright and sunny day.