by Kyle Trembley
Playing their first game in front of the home crowd in three weeks, Cougar men’s soccer looked sharp on both offense and defense in a 2-0 victory over Soka University.
CSUSM improves to 6-2-2 on the season. Soka drops to 7-5. Both teams’ records also benefitted from the recent decision of #5-ranked Vanguard University to forfeit its first six games of the season.
Playing in front of the loud home crowd on Thursday, the Cougars controlled play from the opening whistle, not allowing a single shot while tallying 28 of their own and putting 12 on net. Kevin Ernst earned the shutout in net for CSUSM, with a huge assist from his midfield and back line, who were stout for all 90 minutes.
The Cougars wasted little time shaking off the rust, taking a 1-0 lead in the second minute. Max Blumenshine played a long ball behind the defense, and Warren Ashcroft ran under it and drove a solid strike past the keeper and into the roof of the net.
That score would persist through the first half, before CSUSM added the clincher early in the second. In the 60th minute, Jordan Shadeed collected a ball in the attacking zone, and dribbled his way around defenders to the side of the net. Shooting from a sharp angle, Shadeed hit a rocket into the back of the net to put his team up 2-0 and ultimately finish the game.
CSUSM will be back in action at San Diego Christian this Wednesday.