REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Soccer team held a 1-0 lead at halftime Saturday night, but couldn't hold it allowing a pair of goals in the second half to Whittier College.
Redlands has now dropped their third straight conference game as they move to 2-4-3, 2-3-1 SCIAC.
The Bulldogs put the Poets under pressure in the first 15 minutes, with four shots and three corners. Ethan Kovach (Las Vegas, NV) and Joseph Parra (West Covina, CA) each recorded shots in the first eight minutes and Quinn Richards (San Clemente, CA) forced the first save of the game.
In the 23rd minute Jamie Dulle (St. Louis, MO) tested Poet keeper Teddy Nickerson, but it was turned away keeping the game scoreless. The very next minute UR earned a pair of corner kicks and had another two looks on goal, but the shot from Parra missed high and Peyton Menti (Seattle, WA) would send his header wide. Redlands found the go-ahead goal in the 30th minute from freshman Yusef Mayet (Redondo Beach, CA) who recorded his first collegiate goal. A cross found the head of David Johnson (Monrovia, CA) in the box who then played it to Mayet for the finish giving UR a 1-0 lead at the half.
The Bulldogs kept the pressure up in the early stages of the second half with two corners taken by Spencer Palmer (San Diego, CA), one of which ended in a header from Ryan Hulbert (Dixon, CA) that sent his shot high over the crossbar. Less than :90 seconds later the Poets found the equalizer from Hayden Barnouw who finished off a corner in the 51st minute. After that another ten shots, four corners, and two yellow cards between the two teams occurred all across 18:00 minutes of action.
After continued pressure from both teams who were looking for a game-winner, Whittier eventually found it in the 89th minute off a quick play on top of the 18-yard box where Rowan Slater finished with a low curling shot bottom right corner past a diving Seth Lawrence (Redlands, CA).
The Bulldogs got a great opportunity to tie the game up from Skylar Darwen (Los Angeles, CA) who received a cross in the box, which he headed towards an open goal. Nickerson was able to react quickly with a diving save to his right, which denied the goal allowing Whittier to come away with the 2-1 victory.
Redlands and Whittier combined for 40 shots (23-17), 12 shots on-goal (7-5), 17 corner kicks (10-7), 12 fouls (5-7), and six yellow cards (2-4).
Kovach had another active game with four shots, Darwen, from his outside back position, had three shots with two of them on goal, Barajas matched Darwen with three shots, two on target, Mayet was the lone goal scorer and with it, opened his collegiate scoring total, Johnson recorded his first assist of the season and his third of his career, and Lawrence made four saves while playing the full 90:00.
Redlands looks to snap their losing skid on the road at the University of La Verne on Wednesday, October 5 with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.
