The University of Redlands men's soccer team faced off against the Caltech Beavers in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) match-up on Saturday afternoon at Farquhar Field. The Bulldog offense exploded, as seven different players recorded goals in a 7-0 victory over the Beavers.
The Maroon and Gray quickly gained the lead in the fifth minute, when freshman defender Ben Thompson (Spokane, WA) fired a shot into the back of the net after a battered corner kick. Senior forward Charles Izydorek (Redlands, CA) and sophomore defender Tom Elsea (Mission Viejo, CA) worked the ball to Thompson, promptly burying the score.
Redlands continued its offensive outburst through the remainder of the first frame, tacking on four more scores before halftime. Junior midfielder Peter Marsden (Woodside, CA) netted a goal in the 13th minute, compliments of an assist by senior forward Pat Roraff (Redlands, CA). Sophomore defender Colin Zaccagnio (Phoenix, AZ) scored seconds after checking into the game in the 28th minute, as he knocked in a header off a corner kick taken by sophomore midfielder Austin Moore (Las Vegas, NV) . Less than four minutes later, freshman forward Chase Boone (Beaverton, OR), sophomore defender Jared Bales (Issaquah, WA), and freshman midfielder Sergio Valencia (San Jose, CA) moved the ball around the front of the goal mouth, before Boone drilled the shot passed Caltech's outstretched goalkeeper to push the score to 4-0. The Bulldogs wrapped up a 45-minute showing, when Valencia notched a score of his own after working a beautiful give-and-go play with sophomore forward Matt Speegle (Castro Valley, CA).
Redlands carried its momentum into the second half of the game by upping the tally to seven goals. Senior forward Grahame Fitz (Palo Alto, CA) and Izydorek worked the ball to junior midfielder AJ VanderStaay (Bellingham, WA), who blasted a shot passed the Caltech goalkeeper. The Bulldogs registered their final goal of the game in the 82nd minute, as sophomore forward Ryan Davis (Seattle, WA) chipped in on the action. Davis corralled a ball in the front of the goalkeeper box, faced the net, and punched a goal into the top corner of the net.
Redlands used the majority of its bench today, utilizing 24 total players in the contest. A trio of freshman in defender Alexander Knox (Kirkland, WA), midfielder Will MacFarlane (Park City, UT), and midfielder Cameron Doody (Arvada, CO) recorded inaugural action while donning the Maroon and Gray.
Freshman goalkeepers John Melito (Portland, OR) and Josh Haskill (Lakewood, CA) combined for the team's first shutout of the season. Melito (1-2-0) recorded one save and came out with the victory, while Haskill entered the game in the second half and grabbed one save.
Redlands outshot Caltech, 24-4, while also registered 17 corner kicks to the Beavers' one.
The Bulldogs (2-4-0, 1-1-0 SCIAC) continue with SCIAC play on Wednesday, September 17, when they travel to Chapman University for a 4 p.m. match.