THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - In a pivotal game of the season, the Cal Lutheran men's soccer team came through when it mattered most and edged out an exciting 4-3 victory over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Monday night at Rolland Stadium. Zack Larson scored three goals and Bryan Hulse provided the game winner in the 87th minute for the Kingsmen.
"I love the resiliency," said head coach Dan Kuntz. "Here's a team that's been on the ropes and they are coming back. They don't give up, they keep fighting to the end, and there is a spirit there. Right now they are just living on the spirit."
Zack Larson showed plenty of spirit in the game, making one electrifying play after another on his way to a hat trick.
After CMS got on the scoreboard first off a corner kick in the 18th minute, Larson got the crowd on their feet with a phenomenal free kick from 20-yards out. The shot zipped through the air and was in the back of the net in the blink of an eye.
Heading into the half tied 1-1, Larson picked up right where he left off in the second half. In the 52nd minute while the Stags had possession near midfield, Larson sprinted in and stole the ball. His blazing speed put him way out in front on the right side of the field with just the goalie to beat. Larson smoothly shot the ball across his body to the far side of the goal and found the back of the net.
Almost as quick as he scored, CMS had the ball down on the other end looking to even up the game. They did just that as Michael Crowley headed the ball into the goal off a perfectly placed corner kick from Elijah Lichtenberg.
With the score knotted up at 2-2, Larson continued his heroics in the 65th minute. Brandon Kearney found Larson filling the lane in the attacking third, who fielded the ball, took on four defenders and flipped a finesse shot up and over the goalie for the 3-2 lead.
The Kingsmen hoped to have the game-winner in the books, but the Stags had other plans. After a free kick from 25-yards out landed into the box for CMS, both teams kicked it around before Mehron Abdi kicked it into the goal to tie the game 3-3.
Back-and-forth they went with neither team failing to respond after the other scored a goal. The Kingsmen kept up the seesaw scoring with the game-winning goal in the 87th minute.
CMS played the ball back to their goalie for the clearance but the kick went straight up into the air. Hulse was lurking near the defenders and sprinted into the box to anticipate where the ball would come down. He beat the goalie to the punch and headed the ball into the goal for the 4-3 win.
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps outshot CLU 18-17 in a back-and-forth game almost shot for shot down the stretch. CMS held a big advantage 12-1 in corner kicks but did not convert as many as they would have liked in the game. Larson led both teams with seven shots including five on goal. Alex Wardle and Logan Cone added two shots apiece and six other Kingsmen had a shot in the game.
"This is a critical time of the season for all the teams," said Kuntz. "There are a lot of teams in the middle of the pack so whoever won this game tonight would take a step up. We told the team to just have fun and to remember what it was like to be a kid again. Just be playful, play with your friends and get involved."
Cal Lutheran (4-7-3, 3-6-2 SCIAC) will look to keep having fun and take another step up when they face Caltech at Rolland Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7:00 p.m.
Box Score: CMS 3, CLU 4
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