Lancers' Rally Comes Up Just Short

Tuesday, September 27

Riverside, Calif.

12:30PM

California Baptist University

5-2-0, 1-1-0PWC

Azusa Pacific

1-4-2, 1-2-0PWC

Azusa Pacific

California Baptist

Photo by: Jacob Gonzalez

Lancers' Rally Comes Up Just Short

9/27/2016 8:12:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Sammi Wellman, Director of Sports Information

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Unfortunately for California Baptist University, its goal came a little too late Tuesday afternoon as the Lancers dropped a 2-1 loss to rival Azusa Pacific.

With the defeat, CBU falls to 5-2 on the year, 1-1 in PacWest play. The Cougars improve to 1-4-2 overall and 1-2-0 in conference.

"When you step on the field you have to be ready to compete and to fight," said Coach Coe Michaelson. "APU just seemed to want it more than us and they deserved to win today. It's very important that we respond and show our true colors on Saturday at Concordia of Irvine."

Just two minutes into the game, Aidan Apodaca was inches away from putting CBU on the board first. The junior fired off a shot that banged off the post to keep it 0-0.

The Cougars struck first in the 26th minute to take an early 1-0 lead.

Down a goal, CBU tried to find an equalizer before halftime and had two good looks back-to-back from Kyle Pizano and Junior Guerra in the 29th minute but both times the Cougar goalkeeper made a save to keep his team in front.

Sebastian Wiesboeck opened the second half up with a shot on goal in the 50th minute.

Minutes later, Noah Oyler had to make a save to keep APU from adding some insurance.

The insurance inevitably came, however, as the Cougars made it 2-0 in the 56th minute.

With 34 minutes left to play, CBU's intensity picked up to find the back of the net. The Lancers got some assistance in the final 10 minutes as a Cougar drew his second yellow card of the game to be ejected.

Abe Placito looked like he would break through the scoreless drought in the 84th minute, but his shot connected with the crossbar.

The senior defender got what he was looking for four minutes later when he scored his first goal of the season. Cobi Hunt sent a long ball deep into APU territory as Placito ran onto it. The Cougar goalkeeper came out to try to cut off the angle, but Placito kept his composure and tucked the ball into the net.

Despite grabbing the ball right away to get the game going again, time ran out before CBU could get another one to drop the game 2-1.

The Lancers head out on the road for their next five games, first keeping it local at Concordia on Saturday. CBU then flies over the Pacific for a four-game Hawaii swing, coming back to Riverside on Oct. 20 to host Notre Dame de Namur.