Another shutout for the 2010 California Baptist University men’s soccer team put them into the record books after a 1-0 win over rival Azusa Pacific University.
The CBU soccer field was surrounded by noisy students and fans Saturday, Oct. 16, cheering them on to their 12th win, which ties the program record for wins in a season.
Immediately following an overtime victory (2-1) from the CBU women’s team, the Lancers took the field with a determination to defeat the Cougars for the first time since 1999 and take first place in the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC). Lancers Head Coach Ryan Jorden looked for his players to compete as if it was any other game in the season.
“I’m looking for them to play hard and play well,” Jorden said. “We’ve worked for two months on trying to do what we try to do well, and I’m hopeful that we’re able to have that kind of performance.”
A goal by freshman Cole Schmit put the Lancers ahead in the first half and with the help of senior keeper Dan Kelly, held the Cougars from scoring to get their eighth shutout on the season, tying a program record for shutouts in a season. In the end, CBU shot only 10 times but their defense held on, allowing 13 shots by the Cougars with no goals scored.
“As a team, it’s always important for our confidence to be able to keep the ball out of the net. But, we take a lot of pride in it,” Kelly said. “For us [goalies] it’s the only goal. Its not our job to score, its not our job to make tackles; it’s our job to keep the ball out of the net.”
The Lancers defense continues to shine as they have achieved one of the lowest goals scored against averages CBU has ever seen, with 0.64 per game. This average is equally matched by a 2.43 goals per game average on the season.
No. 5-ranked CBU defeated APU on the last home game of the season, where Lancer seniors were being honored for their dedication and hard work in their final season. With eight seniors on the team, the upper-classmen impact for the team this year has made a huge difference.
“The seniors came out to play today and we got the result in the end,” senior defender Darren Whitty said. “It’s just one step towards getting to a national title. That’s the main thing for us at the moment.”
With two games left in the season, the Lancers have achieved one of the program’s best finishes ever and are ready to compete for the national title in November and December.
