COSTA MESA, Calif. – It was a tale of two halves for the University of Redlands Men's Soccer team Saturday afternoon edging Vanguard University 3-2 in a non-conference match-up needing to come from behind to remain unbeaten on the season.
Redlands moves to 5-0, 1-0 SCIAC and found themselves down 2-0 after the first half before receiving a second half hat trick from Jarette Barajas (San Jose, CA) to complete the comeback.
It was a slow start on both sides for the Bulldogs as they forced Seth Lawrence (Redlands, CA) into a pair of save opportunities in the opening eight minutes and having to wait until the 14th minute to earn their first and only shot of the half coming from Phillip Kostenko (Remond, WA).
The Bulldogs needed only :86 seconds in the second half to get a shot off as Cody Bell (Highland, CA) would send his look high. Two minutes later Kostenko put the first shot on frame that forced the Lion keeper to make a stop.
Barajas started his career night in the 52nd minute when he scored a direct free kick up and over the wall into the left side of the goal from 22-yards out. Less than three minutes later he added the equalizer this time getting fed by Spencer Palmer (San Diego, CA). Spencer crossed a deep inswinging ball to the back post for Barajas, who rose up and finished a header past the defender and the keeper.
Connor Claborn (Santa Clarita, CA) and Anders Beckton (Seattle, WA) had a pair of looks to put UR on top in the 67th and 70th minutes. But both had their shots stopped keeping the game deadlocked. In the final five minutes the Bulldogs drew a penalty thanks to Anders to got in behind the 1v1 with the keeper before taking a touch around him before getting fouled. This gave UR a PK, which Barajas buried to secure the hat-trick and the win for the Maroon and Grey.
The Bulldogs faced six shots in the first half and took just one themselves. But after some adjustments at the half from Head Coach Ralph Perez and assistant Cody Carlson Redlands was able to hold a 9-4 shot advantage in the second half along with the three goals being scored.
Redlands' current 5-0 start is their best since 2016 when they also won their first five games. That season they finished 18-6-1, 12-4 SCIAC and made it to the Elite 8.
Redlands begins a run of three-straight at home this Wednesday, September 20 at 7:00 p.m. as they host SCIAC rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps inside Farquhar Field in the second SCIAC match-up of the season.
