Box Score Stockton, Calif. – The Pacific men's soccer team dropped their first conference matchup of the season in a 2-1 loss to the visiting Saint Mary's Gaels (5-5-3, 1-0). The loss, which brings the Tigers to 8-3 overall, 0-1 in WCC action, snaps the team's seven-game winning streak.
"Against Saint Mary's, you always know they will compete really hard and make the game really challenging," says head coach Ryan Jorden. "You have to match the competitiveness and find the moments to find the qualities you're looking for in order to get good results, and we fell just short of that today."
The Gaels got on the board quick in the 4th minute when Anders Engebretsen intercepted a pass that gave him a breakaway and an easy score. Saint Mary's widened their lead in the 20th minute on a header off a free kick. Rafael Sanchez lined up for the kick and sent a set piece into the box which Ben Braman headed past goalie Curtis Goldsmith.
In the 23
rd minute
Wouter Verstraaten lined up for a penalty kick, but his shot was met by the Saint Mary's goalie Remi Prieur. The impending rebound found
Spencer Vue who looked to get a quick shot off, however he was fouled and the Tigers were given another penalty kick opportunity. This time
Julio Cervantes took the kick and sent it past the leaping Prieur to narrow the deficit.
The back-and-forth continued in the second half with the Tigers looking to knot the score. In the 61st minute Tristan Blackmon sent a cross to a driving Anthony Orendain, but he just missed a header and the ball sailed out of play. Pacific logged six shots in the second half, but could not find the equalizer, allowing the visiting team to walk off victorious.
WCC play continues for the Orange and Black as they head to Southern California to take on Loyola Marymount on Friday before taking on San Diego on Sunday. Live video will be available via theW.tv.
