REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands men's soccer team (5-3-4) fell 3-1 to the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) Friday evening seeing their senior night spoiled.
After conceding a penalty in the 30th minute, Redlands' Landon Azavedo (Lake Oswego, OR) took a corner in the 41st and sent it into the middle of the six-yard box where it glanced off the keeper's gloves finding an oncoming Bo Robertson (Portland, OR) that equalized the game at one.
That 1-1 scoreline held the remainder of the half and just over two minutes into the second when Benjamin Evans (Bend, OR) got his head to the ball off a Zachary Darmanyan (San Diego, CA) corner, but the Banana Slug keeper handled it.
From the 57th through the 65th minutes Anthony Sena (Henderson, NV), Azavedo, and Anders Beckton (Seattle, WA) all received chances in and around the penalty area but were unable to find the go-ahead goal.
Against the run of play in the 73rd the Banana Slugs got out in transition and passed it from the middle just outside the penalty area wide where the attacker took a touch into the box finding the far left corner.
UCSC would tally an insurance goal in the 80th minute to make it 3-1. Less than two minutes later Luke Wyatt (Pasadena, CA) got some space in the box. His shot flicked towards the goal and the keeper saved it, which ultimately went off the cross bar with the rebound being cleared out. That would be the final dangerous look for Redlands as they lost their non-conference finale.
The Bulldogs outshot the Banana Slugs 20-13 and were plus six in corner kicks, 9-3. The two second half goals came in transition as Redlands did well to maintain possession but struggled down the stretch to defend in space and make their shots dangerous in the attacking third.
Redlands will now have Saturday off before hosting Occidental College next Wednesday, October 21 at 7:00 p.m. in a critical Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) battle that was scoreless in Los Angeles 13 days ago.
