Lancers Offense Scores Early and Often In 4-1 Defeat of USD

Tuesday, February 16

San Diego, Calif.

6 PM

California Baptist University

1-0-1

San Diego

0-1-0

California Baptist

San Diego

Lancers Offense Scores Early and Often In 4-1 Defeat of USD

2/16/2021 9:00:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: Daniel Cook, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications

LA JOLLA – Goals came early and often for California Baptist University men's soccer in a 4-1 win at the University of San Diego Tuesday night. Three Lancers: Tete Vacas, Bryan Iliohan, and Luis Mueller combined for all four goals with the German freshman Mueller recording the brace.

In his first start of the season, it was Vacas who got the action rolling and scored a heads-up goal in the fifth minute off of a deflected pass inside the Torero box. Iliohan wasn't far behind with his goal, scoring off of a beautifully placed pass from Jordan Lane at the midfield line to poke the ball between a Torero defender and the USD keeper to put his goal in the back of the net in the 13^th minute. That goal would eventually go on to be the game-winner.

‼️G⚽️AL‼️ That didn't take long! Tete Vacas nets the first Lancer goal of the season off of his right foot after a Torero deflection on a Brian Gonzalez pass!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/yprErcvs1y
— CBU Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) February 17, 2021

It would be Mueller who would bask the spotlight in the end though. The freshman scored his first goal of the night in the 25^th minute when he took a pass from Iliohan into free space, side-stepped the goalkeeper who ended up flat on the pitch, and used his left foot to put the goal past a desperately sliding Torero defender for his first Lancer goal.

The goal of the night came in the 78^th minute after CBU earned a free kick about 28 yards out. Mueller, who has already taken a fair amount of the corner and free kicks this season, more than justified his role when he launched a rocket into the upper-right corner of the frame for goal number two of the day.

‼️G🤯🤯🤯🤯AL‼️ Just, wow! Luis Mueller's second goal of the night is an early contender for goal of the year!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/rUzLSYBtUJ
— CBU Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) February 17, 2021

Defensively, the Lancers were stout, led by goalkeeper Gage Rogers, who was credited with five saves on the day but multiple additional defensive punchouts denying sure point-blank shots for the Toreros. San Diego did manage to put a late-game goal in the 80^th minute to deny the Lancers a clean sheet.

🙅‍♂️ It's not all Lancer offense in this one as CBU goalkeeper Gage Rogers makes a fully stretched save after USD unleashes a good look from just outside the box!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/91ULTbL5lk
— CBU Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) February 17, 2021

COACHES THOUGHTS

"That was an excellent performance tonight. Make no mistake, USD is a quality team, comparable to the better teams we will face this year. It was great to see such a committed mentality from the guys," said Head Coach Coe Michaelson after the game. "When we come out with that focus and willingness to work for one another, we give ourselves a great chance to win. But it's only one game, and we won't get carried away. It's all about growth, game-by-game, and it will be exciting to kick off conference play this weekend."

WHAT'S NEXT

The Lancers will host the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley for the WAC and home opener this Saturday at noon. All Lancer home games this season will be played at the Orange Country Great Park in their Championship Soccer Stadium while Lancer Soccer Field is being upgraded.