Bay Area Men’s College Soccer: Week 5

Stanford (5-0-3, 0-0-2)

Cardinal Come Back to Top Santa Barbara

The Cardinal overcame an early deficit and a hostile crowd to earn a 2-1 win at UC Santa Barbara on Saturday night.

Salvador Aguilar got the home side off to a dream start with his goal a little more than 2 minutes into the match. Center back Timon Windisch sent a long ball from the Gauchos’ defensive half. Aguilar beat Keegan Hughes to the ball and fired a low, hard shot that nutmegged Stanford goalkeeper Matt Frank.

But the Cardinal got back into the match in the 16th minute, when Keegan Tingey threaded a pass between two Gaucho defenders onto the foot of Jackson Kiil, who took a couple of dribbles and fired a left-footed shot that settled inside the far post.

The Cardinal took the lead for good thanks to a lucky bounce in the 52nd minute. When Carlo Agostinelli headed down Keegan Hughes’ corner kick, the ball deflected off of Windisch’s head and into the net.

Frank made a pair of excellent stops in the final 15 minutes. He deflected the ball to make sure that Aguilar’s shot didn’t squeeze by the near post in the 75th minute and smothered Rene Pacheco’s 88th minute volley to preserve the Cardinal’s lead until the final whistle.

Cal (3-2-3, 1-1-0)

Late Strike Helps Golden Bears Overcome Gaels

Cal beat visiting Saint Mary’s 1-0 on Sunday afternoon thanks to an 81st minute goal from Fahmi Ibrahim.

The goal was set up by goalkeeper Collin Travasos, whose outlet pass went directly to Juan Martinez just over midfield. Martinez fed the ball to Ibrahim on the overlap. Ibrahim tucked his shot just inside the near post, out of the reach of goalkeeper Kash Oladapo.

Travasos also made 6 saves in keeping a clean sheet.

The Gaels’ best chances to score came on a shot by Cade Cowan in the 9th minute and a header from Christian Engmann header in the 41st minute that was saved off the line by a Cal defender.

Santa Clara (3-2-2)

No Goals for Broncos or Aggies

The Broncos’ home match vs. Santa Clara on Saturday evening ended in a scoreless draw.

Santa Clara had a few good chances, including a shot by James Redington in the 26th minute. Davis goalkeeper Charles Janssen punched out a cross from Cole Motooka, but the ball went straight to Redington at the top of the box. His low, hard shot was on target, but Janssen was able to deflect the shot away.

Janssen came off of his goal line to smother a couple of good chances from Santa Clara’s Bar Hazut in the final 12 minutes. The first was the result of a through ball from Adem Hamdaoua in the 78th minute. The second, in the 85th minute, was set up by Oladayo Thomas.

Goalkeeper Blake Gillingham made two saves in keeping a clean sheet in his Broncos’ debut.

USF (6-1-2)

Dons Hang On for First Win at Sacramento in 24 Years

The Dons withstood an offense barrage in the final few minutes and hung on for a 2-1 win at Sacramento State on Thursday night.

Max Chretien’s second half brace was all the scoring the visitors needed. His first goal came in the 53rd minute and was set up by a feed by Dominic Valdivia. Chretien found the back of the net again in the 64th minute, on an assist from Max Hamelink.

But the Hornets got on the board in the 83rd minute, after a USF defender was whistled for a hand ball in the box. Michael Gonzalez scored on the penalty kick.

USF goalkeeper Eric Waltz was the hero in the final 3 minutes of the match, grabbing a shot attempt by Alejandro Padilla in the 87th minute and stopping Gonzalez’s shot from point blank range, after a free kick by Sacramento goalkeeper Mac Learned.

Genaro Alfaro’s final attempt from about 25 yards was deflected out by a USF defender as time expired.

Late Air Force Goal Dooms Dons to First Defeat

Thaddaeus Dewing scored the only goal of the match in the 74th minute, giving Air Force a 1-0 victory over host USF on Sunday afternoon. Dewing headed home a pass from Remi Smith.

After the goal, USF pushed hard for the equalizer, forcing a pair of saves from Air Force goalkeeper John Byszewski on shots from Zane Alafranji (84th minute) and Elias Thomas (88th minute).

Goalkeeper Eric Waltz made four saves for the Dons, including a pair of difficult stops right before the halftime whistle, on shots from Elijah Bussey in the 43rd minute and Carter Rizzo less than a minute later.

Saint Mary’s (5-3-1)

Gaels Equalize in the 85th Minute at Northridge

In addition to Saint Mary’s loss to Cal on Sunday, an 85th minute strike from freshman Bastian Toelhoej enabled the Gaels to escape with a 1-1 draw at CSU Northridge on Thursday night.

Louis Sterobo set up the Gaels’ goal on a free kick from just over the midfield line that was headed by Christian Engmann and caromed over to Toelhoej. His shot deflected off of goalkeeper Cooper Wenzel as well as a Matador defender and made its way into the back of the net.

Northridge scored its goal in the 73rd minute. Jamar Ricketts fed Oscar Cardenas, who sent the ball to Dylan Gonzalez as he made his run along the right side; his low shot was out of reach for goalkeeper Jack Landreth.

The Gaels nearly grabbed the winner, but Wenzel leaped to punch away a left-footed shot by Riley Lynch in the 87th minute.

San José State (3-3-1)

Second Half Surge Powers Spartans Past Tigers

Second half goals from Angel Iniguez and Finlay Wood were all San José State needed in their 2-0 victory over Pacific on Thursday night.

Iniguez’s goal came 18 seconds into the second half. Wood stole the ball 35 yards from goal and sent a pass to a Spartan attacker making his run into the box. A Tiger defender poked the ball away, but right to Iniguez, whose blast from 15 yards out bounced off of the underside of the crossbar and into the net.

Wood got on the scoresheet in the 67th minute. Iniguez was taken down in the box and the ball ended up on the foot of Anthony Guzman. Tiger goalkeeper Brian Lanier made the kicksave on Guzman’s shot, but Wood grabbed the rebound and scored just as Javier Chavez was making a sliding tackle.

The Spartans outshot the Tigers 19-4 and San Jose goalkeeper David Sweeney made 3 saves in keeping a clean sheet.