By Ron Smith
November 14, 2024
 
(IRVINE, Calif.) "Let's go! What a game," exclaimed Westmont Men's Soccer head coach Morgan Cathey after his team won an overtime thriller in a PacWest Championship semifinal. The second-seeded Warriors (11-4-4) downed the third-seeded Vulcans of Hawai'i Hilo (11-6-1) by a score of 2-1 in the second overtime period to advance to the PacWest Championship game on Saturday.
 
"It was very much a tournament type game in the sense that in the first 20 minutes we were really good and created some really good chances."
 
The Warriors' first goal on a penalty kick by Leonel Olivo Ortiz in just the 10th minute. The penalty kick was drawn by Luis Cortes as he dribbled into the box. Surrounded by four Vulcans, Cortes was clipped from behind, fell and barrel rolled into a Vulcan defender. Immediately, the referee's whistle sounded and the PK was awarded.
 
Olivo Ortiz took the penalty kick, but stood with his back to the goal. When the referee's whistle sounded again, he spun around and took his shot, placing it inside the left post.
 
"Sure enough, we got the goal and then Hilo was on the offensive for the last 20 minutes of the first half. However, we were really resolute. To not give up a goal in that moment was really good.
 
"In the beginning of the second half we settled in and settled down. We read where the spaces were on the field and I thought we did a phenomenal job limiting their chances. I think we were playing excellent in the second half. Unfortunately for us, the ball found one of their players and took a deflection."
 
The Vulcan's equalizer came in the 81st minute of play off the foot of Gabriel Gallardo after Koki Hamada chipped a ball over the top and into the box.
 
"Now our backs were against it," relayed Cathey. "What was really cool was to see our guys respond mentally and physically with real positivity. We had two great goal-scoring opportunities (in the rest of regulation) - one was where Connor hit the crossbar. Then Serkan Durna had two chances where he was in the box, cut the player and had two great shots. Unfortunately, both were blocked. If the ball didn't hit the defender, they were definitely going in the goal."
 
Unlike the regular season, which ends in a time if the score is level at the end of regulation, the postseason requires someone to advance. The NCAA rules call for two 10-minute overtime periods to be played. However, if a team scores, the game is immediately over and that team has won.
 
"I was proud of the guys going into overtime, We knew that moments were going to come for us. It was more about settling their nerves and making sure they weren't going to do anything that would lose us the game. Just keep us in the game."
 
Neither team scored in the first overtime. In fact, neither time took a shot. In the second overtime, only one shot was taken. Only one shot was needed.
 
"Sure enough, in the second overtime, Cash Anderholt gets a great ball through from Connor. Yordan continues his run to the byline and Cash plays him through. Yordan Marinov puts a great effort on target. Connor did enough to put off the defender and the goalkeeper. The ball somehow finds its way through.
 
"What a great moment. You never want your team to have to go to overtime, but as a coach, there is nothing sweeter than scoring an overtime goal in college soccer. It is one of the most special experiences – the dog pile and the running on the field. It is a moment we won't ever forget as a program and these guys especially."
 
The goal in the 103rd minute was the third of the year for the freshman forward.
 
"Hats off to Hawai'i Hilo," said Cathey. "They played an incredible game in both of the games we played against them.
 
"Landon Amaral was really good today and Brady Highfill was exceptional, especially in the first half. He came for so many things and solved so many problems for us in the box. Hilo is a team that is good at set pieces and good at drawing fouls in our half. We gave up way too many fouls and every one of those free kicks was put into our box, but I thought Brady and Landon were superb.
 
"Connor did really well. Daniel and Donnie were immense. Our fullbacks defended well the whole game."
 
Saturday, the Warriors will take on the Sunbirds of fourth-seeded Fresno Pacific (8-6-5) in the championship game. The Sunbirds advanced to the title match by virtue of a 1-0 upset of top-seeded Point Loma Nazarene (11-3-3). In the meeting earlier in the season, Westmont defeated Fresno Pacific at Thorrington Field on October 12 by a score of 2-1.
 
Kick-off is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at the Orange County Great Park.