REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Men's Soccer team (2-1) was able to battle the elements Friday night at Farquhar Field to edge the University of Puget Sound 2-1 despite facing an hour delay due to extreme heat and air quality conditions.
Phillip Kostenko (Redmond, WA) remains red-hot collecting his second consecutive brace putting the U of R up 1-0 at the half before collecting the game-winner in the 81st minute putting away a penalty kick.
Julian Weber (Haiku, HI) forced a save from the Logger keeper in the 22nd minute. Less than five minutes later the Bulldogs connected with Zach Darmanyan (San Diego, CA) sending a ball across the box in the 27th, which Kostenko finished back post for his third of the young season.
The remainder of the half was all defensive with no Logger shots being allowed on-goal, while Taylor Bell (Highland, CA) and Cody Bell (Highland, CA) would force another two stops from the UPS keeper.
It was a very slow offensive second half as it took 28 minutes for the first shot on-goal to occur, which came from Terren Reyes (Chula Vista, CA) off a C. Bell corner.
That missed opportunity would be big as the Loggers tied the came two minutes later coming off an initial stop from Bulldog keeper Jason Salmeron (Winnetka, CA). Puget Sound would collect the rebound and finish in front of the goal tying the game up.
Then in the 81st a foul was called on UPS inside the 18-yard box as one of their defenders contacted the face of C. Bell sending Kostenko to the spot.
Kostenko was calm and slotted it home into the right side of the goal for the game-winner as the Logger keeper dove left.
Over the final four minutes the game became chippy with four yellow cards being issues, one of which was a second yellow for UPS forcing them to play a man down for just over a minute.
Kostenko now has four goals and back-to-back games with a brace. Brady Bachman (San Diego, CA) started in goal and played just over 60:00 minutes before Salmeron finished the game making a save and picking up the win.
The Bulldogs remain at home with a match-up against Whitman College next Thursday, September 12 beginning at 7:30 p.m.
