REDLANDS, Calif. – The No. 12 ranked University of Redlands Men's Soccer team who has one of the toughest starts to a 2022 schedule in Division III saw their upset bid over No. 9 Calvin come up short 4-3 Friday evening.
The Bulldogs who have played Cal State L.A. and Cal United Strikers in a pair of exhibition games leading up to their trip to Michigan move to 0-1 on the young season and now turn their sights to Hope College, tomorrow, Saturday, September 3 beginning at 4:00pm PST.
It was a physical match-up between a pair of Top-15 programs that were both jump-starting their 2022 schedule. A combined seven goals were scored with the Maroon and Grey holding a trio of leads at 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2.
The University of Redlands struck first in the opening two minutes thanks to senior Ethan Kovach (Las Vegas, NV) who found space near the top of the box before tucking in a low hard shot inside the rear post. This lead held until the 24th minute when Calvin added the equalizer from Kadin Shaban who finished off a ball back post coming off a pass from Oliver Akintade.
This didn't deter the Bulldogs though reclaiming the lead just six minutes later capitalizing on a Knight miscue. Jarette Alexis Barajas (San Jose, CA) whipped a low cross into the left flank, which found a Calvin defender who cleared it away, but into their own net for an own goal.
But three minutes later the Knights again responded this time from Mason Smith who finished a free kick to the top left corner of the goal, deadlocking the game. The seesaw battle continued after that before Phillip Kostenko (Zelenokumsk, Russia) was taken down in the box with ten minutes to play before the half. This resulted in a UR penalty kick, which Barajas buried moving the score to 3-2 at the break.
In the 53rd minute the Knights found the equalizer for the third time on the evening as Chris Shau blasted a shot from on top of the box, which made its way through a sea of defenders and past a diving Seth Lawrence (Winnetka, CA). Two minutes later Calvin grabbed their first lead of the game as Ethan Harvey sent in a cross that found Jacob Goodling, who was able to redirect the shot inside the far post pushing the score to 4-3.
Redlands continued to press after that looking for the game-tying goal. Spencer Palmer (San Diego, CA) had a chance in the 60th minute, Joseph Parra (West Covina, CA) followed with another two shots and David Johnson (Monrovia, CA) delivered another, all three being put on frame, and all three being denied by Calvin keeper Daniel Wunder, who made a diving leg save that preserved the win late.
The Bulldogs outshot the Knights 23-14, but was at a disadvantage on corner kicks 8-6.
Lawrence finished with three saves as he played all 90:00 minutes between the posts. Kovach and Parra each added three shots a piece and Barajas another two.