By Ron Smith
September 28, 2024
 
(LA MIRADA, Calif.) Westmont Men's Soccer started the 2024 PacWest season with a road win over Biola (2-5-1, 0-1 PacWest), improving the Warriors' record to 4-1-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
 
"It was not pretty for sure," said Westmont head coach Morgan Cathey of the contest that had the look and feel of a rivalry game. "I think the thing we are most proud of as a group – as the coaching staff and as a team – is to see guys come in and impact the game in really big ways. I'm proud of not just the starting group, but more importantly, I'm really proud of the guys on the bench today who brought a whole other level to our team. It was a very big group effort today."
 
Westmont got on the board early, scoring in the sixth minute. Daniel Tuscano passed a ball from the center of the field to the right flank where Leo Olivo Ortiz was waiting. The sophomore quickly sent the ball toward the goal. Serkan Durna ran on the ball and headed it inside the near post for his first goal as a Warrior.
 
Biola found the equalizer 20 minutes later on a goal by Cruz Navarro. Pedro Ashley sent a ball across the box and connected with Navarro who spun counterclockwise before scoring with his right foot.
 
In the 32nd minute, Westmont retook the lead. From inside the center circle, Landon Amaral sent a ball over the top as Durna was getting in past the defenders. Durna settled it off his chest, then fired with his right foot inside the near post.
 
Westmont's Eric Guerrero made the score 3-1 on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute. Guerrero had taken a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that was blocked by an Eagle's defender. The ball came right back to him and as he turned his back on the goal, he was tackled from behind. The referee's whistle blew, and Westmont was awarded the PK.
 
Each team scored in the 79th minute to make it a 4-2 game. Connor Lynch received a pass on the left side and dribbled toward the end line before passing it across the box. Guerrero, who was speeding down the center of the field, ran on the ball and tapped it past the keeper with his right foot, sending it into the netting.
 
Seconds later, Leandro Weingartner scored from 12-yards out on the left side when he got in behind the Warrior defenders.
 
The Eagles thought they had scored a third goal in the 85th minute when Biola put the ball in the back of the net. However, the assistant referee had raised his flag to signal offside and the goal was disallowed.
 
The Warriors were outshot 20-15 in today's game and Biola held a 9-7 shots-on-goal advantage. Brady Highfill, however, tallied seven saves to help secure today's victory.
 
Westmont will resume PacWest play on Thursday when they return home to host the Cougars of Azusa Pacific (1-5, 0-1) in a men's and women's doubleheader. The men will kick off at 12:30 p.m. with the women following at 3:15. The Azusa Pacific men's team lost its conference season opener in Fresno Pacific (2-2-4, 1-1) today by a score of 3-2.