By Ron Smith
November 16, 2024
 
(IRVINE, Calif.) In a comeback for the ages, Westmont Men's Soccer (12-4-4) defeated Fresno Pacific (8-7-5) to claim the 2024 PacWest Tournament Championship. Three second-half goals helped the Warriors erase a two-goal deficit to secure the school's first PacWest Championship title.
 
As a result, Westmont has qualified for the NCAA DII National Tournament, beginning with play in the Super Region 4 Bracket.
 
In Saturday's championship game, the Warriors found themselves down by two goals in what seemed like the blink of an eye. The first goal came at the end of the 33rd minute when Bryan Lopez stripped a Warrior defender of the ball, dribbled toward goal on the right side, then fired into the far-side netting.
 
Less than a minute and one-half later, Lopez sent a ball into the box where Lucas Ribeiro ran on it and delivered the Sunbirds second goal.
 
"The beauty of sports," mused Westmont's head coach Morgan Cathey, "is that it encapsulates so much of a person's character and provides a great platform to learn life lessons. This championship game presented so many moments that embody the human spirit. I am so proud of our guys.
 
"They did not apply themselves in the first half. I think the occasion and the fact that we had already beat the opponent caused us to not come out with the intensity and desire that the championship warranted. Because of that, we were losing to a better team."
 
"It was great to have the reset and the conflict of halftime for our guys to push into each other and to really bring out the highest depth of their application. That is what we saw in the second half. The guys going and battling and giving of themselves to that degree produced such a cool moment in our program's history."
 
It would be the 64th minute before the Warriors would put a tally on the scoreboard. Erik Guerrero took a corner kick from the right side, sending the ball to the near post where he found Cash Anderholt's head. Anderholt flicked it in front of the goal to Landon Amaral who redirected it into the net.
 
Just over three minutes later, the Warriors leveled the score at two goals apiece on a second goal by Amaral. Guerrero took a free kick on the end line about five yards closer to the goal than his previous corner kick. This time, Guerrero sent the ball to the far post where Amaral headed it in.
 
The game winner came in the 89th minute. Once again, Guerrero took a corner kick from the right side. This time, he sent a line drive to the near post where Anderholt took a touch, sending it across the face of the goal. At the far post, Connor Lynch sent the ball into the net for what would eventually be the game winner.
 
"I don't know the last time we scored a goal from a set play," reflected Cathey. "Some plays are unique in soccer because oftentimes you have an individual match-up where you can get the better of that individual. I think the desire that we brought in the second half came out the most in those set-play moments.
 
"We saw the leadership of our team step up in those ways: Erik with incredible service, Landon with incredible desire to get on the end of those crosses, Connor to finish the third goal in the same way. It was incredible.
 
"What this means for our program is so much. They are a group that loves to grow, loves to compete and loves to give of themselves in extreme ways. You could see they were not going to lose the game. They were going to do everything in their power to try and win. I am so proud. We are so proud. I think the Westmont community and alumni should be so proud to be a part of this as well. I am so very grateful."  
 
Amaral was named the PacWest Men's Soccer Championship Most Outstanding Player while Brady Highfill was honored as the PacWest Men's Soccer Championship Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
 
The NCAA DII Selection Show will air on Monday at 3:30 p.m. PST at NCAA.com. At that time, the Warriors will learn their first round opponent as well as the location and time for the Friday, November 22 game. The second round will take place on Sunday, November 24 at the same, as of yet, undisclosed location.