REDLANDS, Calif. – The No. 18 University of Redlands Men's Soccer team saw their winning streak snapped at four games Wednesday night falling 5-4 to Chapman University inside Farquhar Field.
The Maroon and Grey drop now to 9-2-1, 5-2-1 SCIAC, while Chapman University improves to 6-5, 5-3 SCIAC. Due to the loss by Cal Lutheran the Bulldogs still hold onto sole possession of 2nd place within the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Standings, but only by a point (16) ahead of Chapman (15).
It was one of the most bizarre contests you'll see with five of the nine goals being scored via penalty kick. Redlands held a 3-2 advantage at the half with two of the goals being on PK's. But the story of the game was the second half with Chapman outscoring UR 3-1 over the final 45:00 minutes to grab the upset.
The Bulldogs got on the scoreboard first in the 9th minute from Steve Acuña (Pico Rivera, CA). The sequence started with Joseph Parra (West Covina, CA) taking a shot that hit the post, the rebound came back to Collin ChubbFertal (Eugene, OR) who put it on frame but his ensuing look would be saved by the back line. Seconds later the ball would make its way back to Acuña who was able to connect over the head of Chapman keeper Chandler Siemonsma.
Chapman wasted little time coming back down in the 16th minute to earn its first PK, as Aidan Wall was able to beat three defenders into the box before being taken down. He would then setup and finish for the equalizer. In the 19th minute Chapman got the go-ahead goal this time from Tobi Howe who was able to get off a shot from on top of the box. But this lead wouldn't hold as ChubbFertal would finish a PK in the 23rd minute, which capped off an amazing run by Ethan Kovach (Las Vegas, NV) who made a nice run into the box before taking a shot, picking up his own rebound and getting pulled down to draw the penalty.
The game looked like it would go into the half as a draw, but in the final :30 seconds the Bulldogs earned a corner, which they capitalized on. Antonio Chavez (Santa Ana, CA) served a ball back post for David Johnson (Monrovia, CA), who was unable to get off a shot but had his legs taken out from underneath him drawing a PK. Sophomore Spencer Palmer (San Diego, CA) then stepped up and finished to give UR a 3-2 advantage.
A minute into the second half the Panthers found the equalizer from Sebastian Hertel. He was able to gather possession on top of the box and was able to take on two Bulldog defenders. He got passed one and was about to go up against Mikey Flota (West Covina, CA), but Flota was tripped going for the tackle allowing Hertel to have a 1v1 with Aidan McSweeny (San Diego, CA), which he would finish.
Four minutes later the Bulldogs were rewarded with another PK, this time due to a handball being called in the box. Acuña would take the ensuing kick and would finish as UR went back on top 4-3.
Then within a matter of two minutes the Panthers were able to add the equalizer and the game-winner. Howe tallied his second of the game at the 51:26 mark. He was able to steal the ball away from Cayden Nelson (Layton, UT) on top of the box, knocking him down and getting off a strike that would finish bottom left corner past a diving McSweeny.
The next possession CU would get lucky in the box as Peyton Menti (Seattle, WA) attempted to clear a ball, but in doing so accidentally struck the shin of a Panther forward giving them a PK. Aidan Wall then stepped up and would add the eventual game winner moving the score to 5-4.
Redlands held the advantage on shots (21-15) and corner kicks (10-2). McSweeny picked up the loss giving up those three goals, while making two saves. Menti finished with four shots with two on goal, Acuña and ChubbFertal each added three and Kovach, Palmer, Parra and Johnson each had two a piece.
Redlands travels this Saturday, October 16 to Thousand Oaks, CA when they take on Cal Lutheran University beginning at 7:00pm. The last time these two teams met they finished in a draw 1-1 back on September 25.