By Ron Smith
September 8, 2025
 
(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) Westmont Men's Soccer (2-0-1) picked up its second win of the season with a 3-0 shutout against the Leopards of La Verne (1-1-2).
 
Playing in their third game in five days, the Warriors' head coach Morgan Cathey decided to rest some of his starters and give other players an opportunity to get some minutes on the field. That move allowed him to evaluate the depth of his roster in a game-time environment.
 
"From the start of the game, I think the energy was not great from us," assessed Cathey. "We didn't assert ourselves in the way that we wanted to. We gave the ball away in critical spaces and weren't as sharp as we needed to be in the beginning of the game. Luckily, their few chances didn't lead to anything, though they were close on a couple of transition moments.
 
"I was happy that we were able to find ourselves. Halfway through the first half, I thought we started to take over and found where the spaces were and calmed down. At the start of the game, our running was too much. When we were in possession, we got ourselves out of good pockets and didn't exploit where the spaces were. I think it was a good thing for us to learn. It can be hard for some guys in their first college game to settle down and think. Overall, I thought the scoreline reflected the performance. I am happy we were able to keep a clean sheet.
 
Division I sophomore transfer Aidan Strickler, started in goal for the Warriors and played 60 minutes before being relieved by sophomore Tanner Shum. Both keepers tallied one save in the combined shutout.
 
The score remained nil to nil until the 40th minute when a couple of freshmen teamed up for a goal. Out of a scramble in the right corner, Jordan Cruijff-Beane tapped the ball back up the field along the touchline. Luke Furtado took a stutter step, planted his left foot, then fired with his right, sending the ball just below the crossbar, but out of reach of a leaping Leopard goalkeeper. The ball landed at the bottom frame of the left-side netting.
 
"It was fun for Luke to get a goal that I think even he was surprised went in," said Cathey.
 
The 1-0 score held up until the 77th minute. Freshman Matthew Shimizu, dribbled down the middle before slotting a ball to senior Alex Reyes on the right side. Reyes, left undefended, pushed the ball forward, took three steps, then sent the ball along the ground into the box. Freshman Weston Ash, who was running toward the goal, contacted the ball with his right foot, redirecting it into the left corner for the first countable goal of his collegiate career.
 
In the 89th minute, junior Leonel Olivo Ortiz recorded his second goal of the season and the 14th of his career. Sophomore Luis Cortes ran down a ball sent forward by freshman Geb Wilcox. Cortes sent the ball inside the box where Olivo Ortiz stopped the ball with his left foot, then pivoted 180 degrees and fired with his right. His shot deflected off a Leopard defender and into the goal.
 
"Our last two goals were moments that probably were there the whole game," expressed Cathey. "We just didn't capitalize until the end on being more simple, getting it in wide areas, and getting players in and around the box. I'm happy that Wes and Leo got on the scoresheet.
 
"Marco Valdez did really well, Alex Reyes had a great game and Matthew Shimizu looked really good in the midfield. I thought Luis Cortes had a great game in the fullback position."
 
Westmont will be back in action on Saturday when the Warriors head inland to take on the Broncos of Cal Poly Pomona (0-1-1). The Broncos, who lost to Biola 1-2 and tied Point Loma 3-3, will play at Concordia on Wednesday before welcoming the Warriors to Kellogg Stadium for a 7:00 p.m. game.