The men’s soccer team at CSUSM has experienced ups and downs this season, but they won’t be deterred so easily.

The Cougars rank seventh in the CCAA with a win-loss-tie record of 3-4-1 against conference opponents. Including non-conference games, the men’s soccer record is 5-5-2.
Midfielder Louie Farfan is the top scorer with four goals this season. Dustin Scibilia follows with two.

On Sept. 18, center midfielder Danny Guzman suffered from a major injury during the first 10 minutes of the first conference game against Cal State San Bernardino.

“I ended up breaking my fib and my tibia,” said Guzman. “I will be out for six months, but I am feeling great now. It was a two hour surgery at midnight. They stuck a metal rod in my leg and it’s going to stay in there forever. It sucks now, but I am glad I will heal later and be able to play next season. All the guys came by the hospital and cheered me up and it was great.”

The team has been challenged by the CCAA, but it’s nothing they can’t handle.

“We started the year 1-2-1. I think we could’ve easily went 4-0 in those games,” said goalkeeper Landon Sherwood. “It is just learning to play the 90 minutes from the first minute to the 90th minute game, full match. Every game is a grind. There are no teams that stand out or teams that are really an easy win. We just look forward [to] the next match…every week.”

Midfielder Saul Resendiz reminds us of the importance of working together to produce good results.

“Our whole team is always supportive and everyone is really good so they make it easier to play with and our goal as a team is to at least be in the top half of the league table.”

The team’s greatest win was on Sept. 25 against Cal State Stanislaus’ team, who is ranked first in conference, beating them 3-0.

The season is coming to an end soon, but there are still goals that the team wishes to obtain.

“The CCAA projected us finishing dead last, which was an insult to us. We see ourselves finishing in the top six, which is the playoffs spot in the CCAA,” said Sherwood. “It is a goal we can accomplish. It’s going to be a grind, it’s going to be hard. We are battling a few injuries and so are other teams…so every game is going to be tough for us. We know what we [have] got to do to get the job done and we all stick to the game plan and believe [in] what the coaches are telling us—to keep working.”