THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Cal Lutheran men's soccer team kept its postseason hopes alive in emphatic fashion Wednesday night, taking down Chapman 3-1 at William Rolland Stadium in its final home match of the season.
The Kingsmen (5-7-4, 3-5-2 SCIAC) delivered a commanding performance when they needed it most, scoring three unanswered goals to avenge a tough 4-3 loss to the Panthers earlier this season. With their season on the line, Cal Lutheran rose to the occasion, securing three crucial conference points and remaining in contention for a SCIAC Tournament berth.
Zach Mohr got the Kingsmen rolling in the 14th minute with his team-leading 10th goal of the season. Goalkeeper
Jackson Bankers collected a Chapman shot before launching a nearly 70-yard kick downfield that landed perfectly in Mohr's path. The forward took advantage of the opportunity, burying a left-footed shot to give Cal Lutheran an early 1-0 lead.
The Kingsmen carried that advantage into halftime before wasting little time doubling their lead after the break. In the 50th minute,
Ching Leung delivered a cross from a tight angle near the end line, finding
Maximo Schelotto in front of the net. Schelotto connected with a header to put Cal Lutheran ahead 2-0, recording his sixth goal of the season.
Cal Lutheran continued to capitalize on its opportunities, adding a third goal in the 75th minute.
Yusuf Bodiat sent a corner kick into the box, where
Gavin Arce met the delivery with an acrobatic finish in front of the net for the first goal of his career. The strike gave the Kingsmen a commanding 3-0 advantage with just over 15 minutes remaining.
Chapman (5-6-3, 4-4-2 SCIAC) broke through in the 80th minute when Cooper Haley converted a penalty kick, but the Kingsmen held firm to close out the 3-1 victory.
Despite being outshot 21-15, Cal Lutheran made the most of its attacking chances, placing 10 shots on goal and converting three. The Kingsmen also held a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Bankers was outstanding between the posts, finishing with nine saves while also recording the assist on Mohr's opening goal.
The victory was particularly meaningful after Cal Lutheran surrendered a late lead in its first meeting with Chapman. This time, the Kingsmen left no doubt, controlling the scoreboard from start to finish to earn a much-needed win in their final home appearance.
With two conference matches remaining, Cal Lutheran's postseason hopes remain alive, though the Kingsmen will need to win out and receive help from other results to climb into the top five of the standings.
Cal Lutheran returns to action Wednesday, October 28, traveling to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for a crucial 7 p.m. matchup. The Stags enter the contest with a 5-3-2 SCIAC record after falling 5-1 to Caltech. The Kingsmen will look to avenge another narrow defeat after dropping their first meeting with CMS 2-1 earlier this season.
