By Ron Smith
September 5, 2024
 
(LACEY, Wash.) A penalty kick in the 67th minute proved to be the equalizer in the season opener for Westmont Men's Soccer. The Warriors tied Simon Fraser (B.C.) by a score of 1-1 on a neutral field. As a result, both teams start the 2024 season with a record of 0-0-1.
 
Simon Fraser, who was 11-5-2 last season, was the Great Northwest Athletic Conference champion and was an NCAA Division II Tournament selection. Last year, the two teams played at Westmont with the Red Leafs prevailing 2-0.
 
This year, the Red Leafs are ranked sixth in Super-Region 4
 
Westmont outshot Simon Fraser 15-11 in today's game and posted a shots-on-goal advantage of 7-2. However, the Warriors found themselves trailing 1-0 after Justus Meier scored the games' first goal in the 57th minute. Following a free kick, Meier scored the game winner, assisted by Michael Hennessy.
 
Just 10 minutes later, the Warriors' Leonel Olivo Ortiz was attempting to settle a ball in the left-hand corner of the 18-yard box when he was pushed in the back by Simon Fraser's Kundalini Bien-Aimé Dominique, forcing Olivo Ortiz to the ground. As a result of the foul, a penalty kick was awarded to the Warriors.
 
Eric Guerrero took the PK, sending it into the corner of the net to tie the game at one goal apiece. As it turned out, that would be the end of the scoring.
 
The Warriors will remain in Lacey until Saturday when they will take on tournament host Saint Martin (0-1). The Saints lost earlier in the day to Stanislaus State (1-0) by a score of 4-1.
 
On Saturday, September 14, Westmont will make its Santa Barbara debut when the Warriors travel across town to take on the Gauchos of NCAA Division I UC Santa Barbara. The Warriors' home opener will take place the following Wednesday when they host the Pioneers of Cal State East Bay.