By: Hope Hensley
September 14, 2026
SAN MARCOS, Calif. — Senior midfielder Cole Lomeli delivered a star performance with a goal and an assist, powering the Westmont Warriors men's soccer team to a hard-fought 2–2 draw against Cal State San Marcos on Monday afternoon at The Cage. The Warriors led twice on the afternoon before ultimately settling for a point in a dramatic non-conference road battle.
Match Breakdown
Westmont set the tone early by adjusting its tactical formation, creating significant pockets of space through the central midfield and allowing Barrett Goodman and the build-up line to progress the ball effectively. The Warriors' organized attack yielded results in the 27th minute when Lomeli served a pinpoint set-piece ball into the box, finding defender Logan Race, who buried his chance to put Westmont ahead 1–0. However, the host Cougars responded rapidly, capitalizing on a transition opportunity in the 29th minute as David Ruiz equalized off a pass from Adrian Rivera to knot the match at 1–1 heading into halftime.
The second half brought elevated intensity as both squads looked for a winner. In the 68th minute, Lomeli took matters into his own hands, whipping a dangerous shot-cross into the net to restore Westmont's lead at 2–1. Just two minutes later, San Marcos defender George Gomez received his second yellow card of the match, reducing the Cougars to 10 men for the final 20 minutes.
Despite holding the man advantage, the Warriors faced heavy pressure down the stretch. San Marcos capitalized on a 79th-minute chance when Andrew Valencia struck the equalizer to level the score at 2–2. Goalkeeper Aidan Strickler came up huge in the closing minutes, making a crucial save on a dangerous cut-inside attempt to preserve the road draw for Westmont.
- Key Stats: Both teams fought to a level line on the scoreboard despite San Marcos holding a 13–10 advantage in total shots and a 6–2 edge in shots on goal. Strickler registered three saves on the afternoon, while the physical clash saw 26 total fouls and three cards issued.
- Top Performers: Cole Lomeli generated three points on a goal and an assist. Logan Race converted his goal on his sole shot attempt of the match.
Head Coach Morgan Cathey
"Overall today, we did very well to adjust our shape to start the game, and I think that led to a lot of space for certain players in midfield. When Barrett [Goodman] found himself in midfield, we did really well to progress the ball, and we controlled the game early on.
"Cole [Lomeli]'s impact today was outstanding on set plays, and his service was top tier. He provided an outstanding delivery for Logan's goal, and his shot/cross for our second goal was a really good effort where the rest of our team helped him by shielding the goalkeeper's vision. Anytime he can get on the scoresheet—whether that's assisting or scoring—it means a lot to our team because he is a huge part of our success.
"At the same time, we are extremely disappointed with how we managed the game after going up a man. We lacked maturity in those final 20 minutes. We knew the danger San Marcos posed with specific players cutting inside, and Aidan made a fantastic save to keep us ahead on one of those moments. We have to be much better at snuffing out those situations before they happen as we continue to grow."
Looking Ahead
Westmont (2–4–2) remains on the road for one final non-conference tune-up, traveling to San Diego to face off against Point Loma before opening PacWest Conference play.
