#6 Stanford (6-0-3, 1-0-2) vs. Cal (3-3-3, 1-2-0)
In front of their largest home crowd since 2017, Stanford earned a resounding win in this season’s first edition of the Big Clasico with a 5-1 victory over Cal.
After a scoreless first half, Shane de Flores put the Cardinal ahead in the 63rd minute, making his way through a crowd of Cal defenders with the ball on his right foot, switching it to his left, and firing a low shot that beat goalkeeper Collin Travasos at the far post.
Cal’s Fahmi Ibrahim equalized three minutes later. Cameron Robie sent in a cross from the edge of the penalty area. Stanford’s Mark Fisher tried to trap the ball, but it nearly went in his own net. It deflected off of goalkeeper Matt Frank into the path of Ibrahim. Frank stopped his first shot attempt, but Ibrahim leaped over the prone goalkeeper and blasted the ball into the roof of the net.
In the 70th minute, Reilly put the Cardinal ahead for good, on a header from point blank range after a scramble for the ball in the box.
Cal’s Nonso Adimabua was red carded in the 75th minute, and the deluge of goals began. Cam Cilley converted a penalty kick in the 77th minute. Reilly scored a brace on a one timer in the 79th minute and de Flores earned a brace of his own with a leaping header in the 85th.
USF (6-2-2, 0-1-0)
Three second half goals propelled host Loyola Marymount to a 3-0 win over USF.
(PHOTO: Griffin Hooper, Loyola Marymount University)
After a scoreless first half, the Lions opened the scoring in the 53rd minute. Eli Armstrong lobbed the ball to CJ Neville, but four defenders converged upon him as he headed toward the penalty area. Neville slipped the ball across the box to Christian Ortiz who shielded a USF defender and nutmegged goalkeeper Eric Waltz.
Substitute Adam Davie earned a brace in the span of two minutes and 19 seconds to secure the victory.
In the 73rd minute, Callum Stretch sent in a long ball from the LMU defensive half. Davie trapped the ball with his chest and went around a USF defender as he was tugging on Davie’s jersey. Waltz came out to challenge him as he reached the penalty area, but Davie slipped a shot by him.
Davie’s 75th minute goal was set up by Noel Caliskan, who slipped a pass in between Davie and a USF defender. Davie slipped past Waltz and avoided a USF defender for the easy tap-in.
Santa Clara (3-2-3, 0-0-1)
The Broncos opened their conference schedule with a scoreless draw at Pacific.
(PHOTO: Justin Gomes, University of the Pacific)
Santa Clara’s best scoring chance came in the 26th minute when Eduardo Lopez Perez’s shot beat Pacific’s goalkeeper Brian Lanier but hit the post.
The Broncos outshot the Tigers 11-10 and also had an advantage on shots on goal with 4-2. Lanier was credited with four saves while Broncos goalkeeper Felix Schaefer had two.
Saint Mary’s (5-4-1, 0-1-0)
A second half penalty kick propelled #9 Portland to a 2-1 win over visiting Saint Mary’s.
The Pilots opened the scoring in the 31st minute, when Nicholas Denley’s shot from beyond the penalty area hit the crossbar. Nick Fernandez sent the ball back toward goal and Jacob Babalai put it in from inside the six-yard box.
The Gaels evened the match in the 51st minute on a loose ball in the box. Luke Lawrence’s cross was headed toward the middle. Omar Yehya and Riley Lynch both made attempts at goal, but Yehya was the one who found an opening for the tap-in.
Portland took the lead for good in the 59th minute, after Cade Cowan bumped Fernandez in the box and Brandon Cambridge converted the penalty kick.
In the 62nd minute, Saint Mary’s gained a man advantage when Denley received his second yellow card.
Pilots goalkeeper George Tasouris made a crucial stop in the 82nd minute, when Wade Muttitt’s shot from the penalty arc was headed for the net before Tasouris dove hard on his shoulder to deflect it away.
San Jose State (4-3-2, 1-0-1)
Spartans Settle for a Draw With Houston Christian
The Spartans opened their Western Athletic Conference schedule with a 1-1 draw with visiting Houston Baptist on Friday night.
Beau Leroux scored the Spartans’ lone goal in the 15th minute with a demonstration of his dribbling skills. He started out 30 yards from goal, maneuvered around three defenders, cut inside, switched the ball to his left foot, and fired a shot from the top of the penalty area that was out of reach for Huskies goalkeeper Alex Aitken at the far post.
HCU’s Abu Kamara evened the match with goal in the 51st minute.
Spartans goalkeeper David Sweeney made a pair of saves in the final minutes of the match to preserve the tie. Kharrel Medza got behind the San Jose defense in the 86th minute and had a breakaway, but Sweeney rushed out to the edge of the penalty area and tackled the ball away.
Spartans Top Vaqueros for First Conference Win
Leroux also scored a brace on Sunday afternoon, powering the Spartans to a 3-0 home victory over Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Leroux opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Herminio Padilla made a run along the right side. Vaqueros goalkeeper Alexis Gonzalez came out to challenge, but Padilla’s cross found Leroux at the far post for the tap-in.
Padilla was also instrumental in the second goal, which came in the 78th minute. He beat a defender off the dribble and dished the ball off to Mario Barocio as he approached the penalty area. Barocio took a couple of dribbles and blasted a shot past a diving Gonzalez.
Two minutes later, Leroux added a third on a great individual effort. He made a run along the right side, cut toward the middle, and fired a left-footed shot through a crowd of defenders and into the net.
