"If you want something you have never achieved, you must do something you have never done."
This variation of a famous quote by Thomas Jefferson was just one of many inspirational themes that Head Coach Ralph Perez relayed to his men's soccer team throughout the 2015 campaign at the University of Redlands. Among their many goals, the Bulldogs achieved what they had not done in recent years by returning to the NCAA Tournament while winning the program's 12th Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship in the last 15 years. Redlands completed the memorable season with an overall record of 17-4-2 and a conference mark of 12-3-1.
Redlands began its exciting journey by hosting in-region foe Colorado College on September 5 in a thrilling, double-overtime showdown. Following a scoreless first half, the Bulldogs notched the inaugural goal of the game in the 51st minute, as freshman forward Kayvon Parsa (West Hills, CA) netted his first career-goal in his initial start for the Maroon and Gray. Sophomore midfielder Casey ChubbFertal (Eugene, OR) and sophomore defender Ben Thompson (Spokane, WA) linked up with Parsa for the dual assist. After the Tigers answered back to force overtime, sophomore forward Chase Boone (Beaverton, OR) picked up exactly where he left off last season by finding the back of the net in the 105th minute with assistance from junior midfielder Austin Moore (La Vegas, NV) for the Bulldogs' crucial in-region victory.
After opening SCIAC competition with a loss to Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, the Bulldogs regrouped by besting the George Fox University (OR) Bruins, 3-0, for their second, in-region, non-conference win of the season. ChubbFertal initiated the team's hat trick by nailing home a penalty shot in 22nd minute. During the second half, junior defender Tom Elsea (Mission Viejo, CA) tapped in a goal, before sophomore forward Alexander Knox (Kirkland, WA) netted his first goal of the year, which came off of a second-chance opportunity, to secure the Maroon and Gray's 3-0 victory.
Two days later, Redlands returned to conference action with a home showdown against the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges Stags. The Bulldogs stayed in the win column with this rival triumph, as ChubbFertal notched the only score of the game in the 41st minute. Sophomore goalkeeper Dylan Ochoa (Santa Monica, CA) played a big role in the outcome by hauling in three quality saves. The defensive unit of senior Peter Marsden (Woodside, CA), sophomore Keoni Yates (Kailua-Kona, HI), and Elsea assisted on the shutout by allowing just seven shots from the Stags.
The Bulldogs continued to battle through a slate of conference contenders during the rest of the month, dropping an uncharacteristic loss to Chapman, before igniting the pitch with victories over the Caltech Beavers and the University of La Verne Leopards. In the 4-1 showing over La Verne, it was the "Knox and Boone Show" that highlighted the offensive outburst. Knox netted two scores in the contest, both of which were dished out by Boone. Additionally, Boone nabbed a score in the 55th minute, which was assisted by Knox. ChubbFertal grabbed an insurance score in the 72nd minute compliments of a beautiful chip-pass over a Leopard defender by junior defender Colin Zaccagnio (Phoenix, AZ).
Following back-to-back ties, the Maroon and Gray returned to its winning ways on September 30 with a 3-0 victory over Whittier College. This initiated the Bulldogs' impressive nine-game winning streak that carried them through the end of the October. Against the Poets, sophomore goalkeeper Josh Haskill (Lakewood, CA) returned from injury and made a huge impact by providing his solid skills from the backline, which included four saves, excellent distribution, and vocal leadership.
The month kicked off with a crucial contest against the conference-leading Occidental College Tigers. Sophomore midfielder Vidal Ornelas (Corona, CA) put the Bulldogs ahead with the first goal of his Redlands career when he capitalized in the 11th minute. Although the Tigers tied up the match late in the first half, Redlands responded when Boone linked up with Yates for a score in the 62nd minute to grab the 2-1 lead and never looked back en route to the important victory.
The Bulldogs kept their scoring at a premium with a 9-1 victory over the Caltech Beavers. Junior forward Ryan Davis (Seattle, WA) enjoyed a career day, as he took the reins of the Bulldogs' offensive engine by notching five goals – a hat trick coming at the end of the first half during a three-minute span and then two goals within a minute of each other in the second half. With his five goals, Davis tied the single-season Redlands men's soccer record for most individual goals in a game (5) and most individual points in a game (10). Both records have stood since 1995. In addition, sophomore forward Kamal Bilal (Chicago, IL) notched his first career-score.
Redlands continued to roll with shutouts over Chapman, CMS, Pomona-Pitzer, and Occidental, while outscoring their opponents by a 9-0 margin. The most crucial regular-season game came on October 21 against Occidental. The 1-0 victory helped Redlands bolster its position at the top of the conference with three games remaining in the regular season. Boone and sophomore midfielder Sergio Valencia (San Jose, CA) worked together to find ChubbFertal for the lone score of the game, which came midway through the first half. Haskill was flawless between the posts by notching six saves. In addition, freshman midfielders Arman Mogharei (Danville, CA) and Jesus Avalos (La Quinta, CA) chipped in with solid contributions off the bench.
Two games later, Redlands officially secured Head Coach Ralph Perez's seventh conference title in 10 years with a 3-1 win over Cal Lutheran University to cap off the team's nine-game win streak and 13-game unbeaten streak. Elsea and Knox combined efforts for a hat trick in a matter of 12 minutes in the first half for the Bulldogs' significant win.
While winning the title, the Bulldogs also earned the right to host as the top seed of the SCIAC Postseason Tournament, which pitted them against Occidental in the semifinal match. Despite a sluggish start that faced them with a one-goal deficit through the first half, the Bulldogs erupted for three scores in the second half to garner the comeback win. In the 50th minute, ChubbFertal took a throw-in on the near touchline and located Zaccagnio in the box, who utilized his height to bang in a header for the equalizer. Junior forward Matt Speegle (Castro Valley, CA) followed with a goal off a second-chance opportunity to push the score to 2-1. Parsa finished the job by drawing a penalty kick and promptly burying it en route to the 3-1 victory.
With the triumph over the Tigers, the Bulldogs were set to host La Verne at home for the SCIAC Postseason Tournament Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The game featured two of the hottest teams in the conference at that point in the season, and it was truly evident on the pitch that night.
Both teams displayed a pristine defensive ability, as the Bulldog brigade of Elsea, Zaccagnio, Yates, Moore, and Mogharei shined throughout the game. The Bulldogs notched the first goal of the game when Parsa located Boone on a cross near the end line, providing perfect placement for Boone to knock in a header for the 1-0 lead. After the Leopards evened the score in the 71st minute, Redlands revealed its resilience by denying a free-kick opportunity and immediately linking together an incredible counter that featured 11-consecutive passes. Now in the attacking third, Parsa found an open Avalos, who gently lofted a half-volley to Valencia, who drilled a goal into the lower-right corner for one of the greatest plays in school history. To watch the masterful play, click here.
With less than 12 minutes to go, Haskill tallied two of his four saves down the stretch to preserve the monumental win for the Maroon and Gray.
With the victory, the Bulldogs gained the SCIAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and packed their bags for San Antonio, TX, to face off against the then-10th-ranked Whitworth University (WA) Pirates on the campus of Trinity University.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs endured a rough start to the first-round game, which culminated in a two-goal deficit after 48 minutes of action. However, Redlands dug deep, continued to play hard, and found a way to win. With time winding down, the Bulldogs finally broke through when Avalos took advantage of a second-chance opportunity early in the second half. In the 61st minute, Parsa actively worked for another goal and successfully drew a foul in the box to earn a penalty kick, which he converted to knot up the score at two apiece, which ultimately forced overtime. The Bulldogs continued to out-work, out-hustle, and out-play the Pirates in the first overtime period by putting an intense amount of pressure on their opponents. By doing so, Redlands forced Whitworth into netting an own-goal, which moved the Bulldogs into the second round with a 3-2 victory.
While making the program's first appearance in the second round since 2011, Redlands battled it out against the then-No. 2 Trinity Tigers, but came up short of the upset in a hard-fought 0-1 loss.
Upon completion of the season, eight Bulldogs received All-SCIAC recognition, as highlighted by Parsa's SCIAC Newcomer of the Year award. In addition, Marsden, Elsea, ChubbFertal, Boone, and Yates earned First-Team honors, while Knox and Haskill landed on the Second team. This marked the most individual All-SCIAC accolades that Redlands has received since the 2005 season, when the Bulldogs also gained eight awards.
In addition, Redlands was selected as the SCIAC Coaching Staff of the Year. Head Coach Ralph Perez guided the men to their 13th overall SCIAC title and seventh under his direction. In addition, assistant coaches Cody Carlson, Claudio Rivas, and Kramer Gudgeon provided key contributions to the team's success.
Finally, Elsea and ChubbFertal landed on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-West Region Second Team, while Boone collected Third-Team honors. Perez was named the NSCAA Division III West Region Coach of the Year. In his 10th year at the helm of the Bulldog men's soccer program, Perez successfully developed the young talent on his roster while starting 20 different players throughout the season, which paid dividends down the stretch for the Maroon and Gray.
Although saying goodbye to senior midfielder Gustavo Orozco (Marin County, CA), Marsden, and Elsea will be difficult, the Bulldogs hold high hopes for the talented returning corps that grew by leaps and bounds during their historical run in 2015. With great skill development on the pitch and excellent leadership qualities off of it, the Redlands men's soccer team embraces the future as it rides the undeniable momentum of this incredible season.