By Ron Smith
September 28, 2025
 
(SAN DIEGO, Calif.) Playing in its final non-conference game before the start of PacWest play, Westmont Men' Soccer (4-2-1) fell to the Sea Lions of Point Loma (4-2-1) on Saturday afternoon by the score of 2-0.
 
"Today was definitely not a good performance from our side," assessed Westmont's head coach Morgan Cathey. "From the first moment of the match, we allowed Point Loma too much freedom in spaces where they are very good and dangerous. We gave the ball away in critical spaces too often throughout the match. That had a huge part to play in many of their chances.
 
"We did well to apply pressure in the midfield and disrupt a lot of their rhythm. Unfortunately, we made too many mistakes that a great team like Point Loma is going to capitalize on. That is something for us that is a bit uncharacteristic, but we also have to give credit to Point Loma for causing those turnovers and capitalizing off of our mistakes.
 
The Warriors gave up the first goal in just the third minute of the game. Shawn O'Brien sent a ball forward along the right flank that Zach Mercieca ran down in the box. Mercieca used his right foot to serve the ball across the face of the goal where it found the head of Emmett Layman. Sprinting in toward the far post. Layman headed the ball down and into the goal to put the Sea Lions up 1-0.
 
Point Loma's second goal came in the 44th minute, the result of a penalty kick. Westmont keeper Aidan Strickler blocked the PK taken by Elijah Langford. However, the rebound off of Strickler came back to Langford who sent the ball into the right-hand side netting for the goal.
 
Strickler had a busy day in goal, tallying nine saves, including stopping a previous penalty kick by Curtis Collazos in the fifth minute of the game.
 
"We were very fortunate to stay in the game as long as we did," noted Cathey. "That was a huge credit to Aidan. His performance in the goal was outstanding. It was disappointing that we couldn't match his effort. This was the first outing where we have not scored multiple goals."
 
The Warriors will now turn their attention to the PacWest season which begins on Thursday with Westmont hosting the Golden Eagles of Concordia in a women's and men's doubleheader. The women kick off at Thorrington Field at 12:30 p.m. with the men following at 3:15.