REDLANDS, Calif. – Following a string of seven games with neither team scoring more than two goals, the University of Redlands men's soccer team (6-1-3, 3-0-1 SCIAC) used a 4-0 run to beat California Lutheran University (CLU, 4-2 Wednesday evening at Farquhar Field.
Redlands found themselves trailing 2-0 up until the final :30 seconds of the first half. This is when Anders Beckton (Seattle, WA) made his presence felt coming off the bench pressing the backline of the Kingsmen, which resulted in a turnover. Beckton was on the ball, took it away and then finished past an oncoming keeper to bring Redlands to within one just before the end of the half.
Six minutes into the second half Bo Robertson (Portland, OR) cleared a ball forward into the CLU defensive half. The ball bounced a couple of times, and after a Kingsman defender misjudged the ball trying to play it off their chest, Zachary Darmanyan (San Diego, CA) was able to come in finding the right corner of the netting to even the score at two.
Just over two minutes later the U of R went in front for the first time. Darmanyan cut the ball back a few times around the top of the box before sliding to make a pass to the left wing where Jared Keyvan (Costa Mesa, CA) was unmarked, finding the right corner of the goal.
The string of goals did not end there, as in the 57th minute, less than five minutes after Darmanyan's equalizer, Darmanyan received a pass in the box off a free kick and was taken down for a penalty by the CLU goalkeeper.
With the Bulldogs' first penalty attempt of the season, Darmanyan passed it with his right foot just past the diving keeper who guessed correctly to their left.
With the exception of a pair of Jaden Nisperos (San Diego, CA) saves, the Bulldogs were able to control the pace of play the remainder of the game to secure the three points.
This was a key win for Redlands as they travel to Occidental College this Saturday, October 3 with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. between the two sides that shared the SCIAC regular season title last season and played for the SCIAC Tournament title too.
