California Baptist University
Hope International University (Calif.)
UP TO THE TASK
10/3/2007 7:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Box Score
RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- Playing like a team on a mission, California Baptist put together a complete 90-minute performance Wednesday and as a result swamped Hope International, 3-0, in a GSAC match.
CBU, which has won four of its past five, improves to 6-3-1 overall, 2-1-0 (6 points) GSAC and is off to its best 10-game start since 2003 when that team started the year 7-3. The Lancers now prepare for a visit to the NAIA's No. 2-ranked Azusa Pacific Saturday at 1 p.m.
The Royals fall to 8-4, 2-2 (6 points).
Smarting from its 1-0 upset of No. 9 Westmont Saturday, HIU put its first shot of the game on frame in the first five minutes. CBU keeper Adam Kramer made the easy save and was not tested again for the rest of the half.
Meanwhile, the Lancers began a rapid and frequent assault on Jacob Brown and finally broke through in the 29th minute. Spenser Steele's shot toward goal was blocked by a Royal defender. However, the ball bounced in front of Cesar Nava on the right side, and Nava hammered a one-timer to the far post for his team-leading sixth goal of the year.
Just 10 minutes later, after a brilliant build-up down the left side, the Lancers switched the point of attack to the right. Steele then delivered a well-placed through ball to an onrushing Tim Wardell, who snuck his fourth goal of the season past Brown, giving the Lancers a two-goal advantage.
“Tim's goal was a great buildup, and he gave us a quality finish,” said head coach Shayon Jalayer. “He has that natural instinct to finish and doesn't need multiple chances to put one away.”
CBU finished the half with 10 shots, and if it weren't for the play of Brown, the halftime margin could have been bigger. Brown stood on his head with four clutch saves in the first 45 minutes, including one on a point-blank header from Ricky Gabrielson off a corner kick.
It didn't take the Lancers long to put this one in the books. On a counter attack just 1:22 into the second half, Christian Diaz collected a ball at the midfield stripe and proceeded to carry it down the left sideline. He made a nifty move to get by the last Royal defender and move toward the goal. Diaz took a touch in the box and then slotted his fourth goal of the year past Brown to round out the scoring.
“I think we were due for a breakout game like this,” said Jalayer. “Brown is a quality keeper, and for us to come out and put three goals past him speaks volumes of our approach today.”
Brown, who ranked among the GSAC leaders in goals against average coming into the game, was left helpless for the most part after facing 16 shots from the Lancers. On the flip side, the Royals had just five, but none were overly threatening. Kramer and Jeff Redinger combined to give the Lancers their fifth shutout of the season and second in a row.
