CSUB men's soccer earns first point of the season in 1-1 draw against CBU
Sep. 3—California Baptist University held on for 62 minutes down a man en route to a 1-1 draw with Cal State Bakersfield at the Main Soccer Field Thursday night.
The Lancers' freshman defender David Cordes was sent off with his second yellow card in the 48th minute. But for the second game in a row, CSUB (0-2-1) allowed a goal to a shorthanded opponent, when CBU's (1-0-1) Brian Gonzalez cut inside past the Roadrunners' defense and rocketed a high shot into the net before goalkeeper Scott Pengelly could react.
Aodhán O'Hara equalized for CSUB on a defensive blunder less than three minutes later, but the Roadrunners couldn't find a winner through the remainder of regulation and two periods of extra time.
"We just gotta put away our chances, and really bury teams early when we go up a man," O'Hara said. "We've seen it twice now, and I think now we can learn from it and move forward a little better."
Cordes' ejection followed a stagnant first half from the former WAC rivals. Both squads struggled to place shots on target. But the Lancers began with more offensive pressure, led by the redshirt senior Gonzalez, who scored both in CBU's win on Sunday against Dixie State and in a 3-1 triumph over CSUB in Riverside two years ago.
Reuben Dass, who also scored in both those games, managed four shots in 18 first-half minutes and almost scored with 11 seconds remaining. The English striker received a pass within striking distance of Pengelly, but the Roadrunners' defense forced him back outside to his right. Dass ultimately had to force a shot across his body that didn't threaten Pengelly and bounced harmlessly off the side netting, leaving the score 0-0 at halftime.
The action truly began in the second half. Cordes was sent off for a hard tackle on Roadrunners right back Tom Shepherd, but Gonzalez found the back of the net just three minutes later.
The way the Roadrunners' offense had been playing, one goal might have been enough for CBU. However, almost immediately, Roadrunners midfielder Ricardo Soza deflected a lackadaisical pass from the Lancers left back right to the foot of O'Hara, who shot the ball cleanly into the bottom right corner for his first goal as a Roadrunner.
"We had a pretty good press down in their end, capitalized on their mistake," O'Hara said. "I managed to get a good touch in there and then put a ball on goal. You never know what's gonna happen. Finally got the monkey off my back there."
Even with CBU shorthanded, the pace of play soon regressed to its first-half standard. The best remaining opportunity in regulation actually came for the Lancers in the 80th minute, when striker Luis Mueller cut back sharply in the box, sending two Roadrunner defenders skidding away and making room for a clean shot, which drifted over the crossbar.
"Sometimes it can be difficult when a team goes to 10 — they can drop off," CSUB coach Richie Grant said. "I thought they did a really good job, because they kept their shape and kept attacking us."
In golden-goal overtime, Mueller once again came the closest to winning the game, this time in the 106th minute. Given space by Shepherd, he lined up a shot from the corner of the box, a left-footed curler that bounced off both the crossbar and right post.
"That was close, wasn't it?" CBU coach Coe Michaelson said. "Honestly, it just shocked me, because it was not an easy shot, and it was an incredible shot, so you're kind of like, 'Did he just shoot that?'"
CSUB earned one final corner kick in the 109th minute, but it soared over the head of defender Hesron Barry and out of play, sealing the 1-1 tie.
CBU will face the University of San Diego in Norco on Monday at 3 p.m. CSUB will search for its first win at home against Pacific on Sunday at 7 p.m.
Reporter Henry Greenstein can be reached at 661-395-7374. Follow him on Twitter: @HenryGreenstein.
