The University of Redlands men's soccer team continued its non-conference slate with Sunday night's in-region showdown against the University of Puget Sound (WA) under the lights at Farquhar Field. With one goal in each of the halves, the Bulldogs topped the Loggers by a score of 2-1 to secure their first victory of the 2014 season.
Freshman forward Chase Boone (Beaverton, OR) made an immediate impact upon entering the game in the 28th minute by scoring his first goal in a Maroon and Gray uniform. Less than 60 seconds after checking into the game, he headed a brilliant cross from sophomore midfielder Austin Moore (Las Vegas, NV) past the UPS goalkeeper to put the Bulldogs up by a goal.
Watch as Boone finds the back of the net for the first score in the contest.
Redlands continued to develop its offensive opportunities in the first frame, as freshman midfielder Sergio Valencia (San Jose, CA) and Boone registered two shots apiece.
The Maroon and Gray pushed through a gridlocked, defensive battle in the second half. Senior defender Nico Johnson (Las Vegas, NV) displayed solid tenacity throughout the night, disrupting the Loggers' chances of finding their offensive rhythm.
In the 76th-minute, Valencia broke through by netting the second goal of the competition for the Bulldogs' 2-0 advantage. After some fancy footwork at the top of the goal box, he turned to find space and rocketed a shot to the far-right corner of the net.
However, UPS responded with a goal of its own in the 84th minute, narrowing the Bulldogs' lead to 2-1.
Despite the late, second-half goal, the Maroon and Gray remained poised under constant pressure from the Loggers, earning the inaugural victory of the season six minutes later.
Freshman goalkeeper Josh Haskill (Lakewood, CA) recorded his first collegiate win, reeling in three saves in a complete-game showing. One save came during a crucial moment in the first half, as he preserved the Bulldogs' 1-0 lead with a diving stop to his left.
The Bulldogs (1-1-0) travel to Pennsylvania for a two-game, road trip on Friday, September 5, and Saturday, September 6, as they face reigning NCAA Division III Champion Messiah College (PA) and Gettysburg College (PA), respectively.
