California Baptist University
Southwestern Assemblies of God University (Texas)
Quarter Pounder
12/1/2011 2:32:00 AM | Men's Soccer
KISSIMMEE, Fla. --- As Joey Pacheco dove low and to his right to save a penalty kick with exactly a minute remaining, it served as a fitting punctuation point for California Baptist University.
The top-seed Lancers dominated in every phase of the game, got goals from three different players and their ninth shutout of the season in a 3-0 route of Southwestern Assemblies of God in the quarterfinals of the 2011 National Christian College Athletic Association National Championships Wednesday night.
The victory, which is the Lancers' school-record 16th of the season puts them into tomorrow's semifinals where they play the Cedarville/Oakland City winner at 7:30 p.m. (EST). They are 16-5 on the season.
The Lions' fall to 10-8-4.
All 20 field players saw action for the Lancers, who outshot the Lions 22-8, including a 10-2 mark in the first half when they took the lead. None of the Lions' six shots were dangerous, most of them from distance.
"I'm pleased with the result and happy with the performance," said CBU Head Coach Ryan Jorden. "We were able to dictate it and playing from the front is always positive. We're going to play good teams who are going to work really hard. We have to find ways to be intelligent, and this was an intelligent performance across the board by everyone. I thought everyone gave a quality performance."
It started with a first half goal in the 23rd minute by Carlos Figueroa and ended less than 70 minutes later with the shutout-preserving save from Pacheco. The Lancers' ninth shutout this year is one shy of the school record of 10 set by last year's group.
Figueroa's goal was the first of his career. He played a nice one-two with Jonathan Garcia and then lifted a ball from the right side of the box that sailed over Lion keeper Cesar Galvan and under the crossbar.
The Lancers scored twice in a seven-minute span in the second half to put this one away.
In the 52nd minute, Marc Hope was taken down in the box, and Willie Rupert converted the penalty kick for his fifth goal of the season, all of them from the penalty spot.
Hope then set up the final goal when he got the ball on the end line, cut towards the goal and slid a ball on the floor across the middle. Michael Salazar flicked it to Jonathan Fausto, who smacked it into the net for the final tally.
Pacheco ended up making three saves. Nine of the Lancers' 22 shots were on frame.
