Saturday, September 25
Las Vegas
6 pm
California Baptist University
6-1-1, 1-0-0
3
at
1
UNLV
4-4-0, 0-1-0
1
2
F
California Baptist
1
2
3
UNLV
0
1
1
Photo by: Zac Zeman zaczeman.com
Iliohan Records Hat Trick To Lead CBU To Victory in WAC Opener
9/25/2021 8:44:00 PM | Men's Soccer
LAS VEGAS – Bryan Iliohan recorded his first-career hat trick tonight against UNLV, leading the Lancers to a convincing 3-1 win over the Rebels. The victory moves California Baptist University to 6-1-1 on the season and 1-0 in Western Athletic Conference. UNLV drops to 4-4 on the year and begins the conference slate at 0-1.
CBU has benefited from strong defensive play for much of the non-conference slate, and that continued in Las Vegas, as a stifling defensive unit held the Rebels to just one goal (penalty kick) on 13 shots. For the seventh time in eight games, CBU held an opponent to one-or-zero goals.
"It was really important to us to have a good start to conference play tonight, but we also knew doing it against a regionally ranked opponent full of fifth year seniors on the road would be a big challenge. There were a lot of good performances tonight but I just have to highlight Bryan's growth in the 9. He's been getting better and better and tonight is just the result of his growth coupled with great passing from the guys around him," Head Coach Coe Michaelson said after the win. "It's a bit of a grind to go on one more road trip next weekend considering what we have already been through, but we've been responding to the challenge and we look forward to Texas and the opportunity to take one more step forward in a really tough conference."
To say that Bryan Iliohan had been hot coming into this game would be an understatement. Iliohan had scored four goals in the previous three games, claiming braces against St. Thomas and Gonzaga. However, in an effort to outdo himself, Iliohan completed the first Lancer hat trick in nearly three years, scoring in the 29th, 51st, and 88th minutes.
Iliohan scored his first goal of the night off a long assist from Danny Garcia. The shot would find a sliver of space between the Rebel keeper and the frame, kissing the ball off the inside post for his ninth-career goal.
He didn't wait long to record his second brace in as many games, as he headed in his second goal of the night off of an arcing assist from Luis Mueller, again beating the Rebel keeper on the near post.
A foul inside the Lancers' defensive box presented the Rebels with a penalty kick that they would convert, cutting the CBU lead back down to one in the 55th minute.
Iliohans final goal was a mixture of sound defense Chris Heckenberg who knocked away a soft pass from UNLV, and heads-up thinking from Iliohan. Bryan collected the loose ball just outside of the box, took a few dribbles to collect himself and sent in his third and final goal through the legs of the UNLV keeper.
The three-goal performance from Iliohan brings him to seven goals on the season and moves him up to a tie for first-place in the conference standings, he and Reshaun Wilkes from UTRGV are currently knotted at seven apiece.
Also hot for the Lancers is starting goalkeeper Evan Ince. The redshirt-sophomore stopped eight shots on the night, six of which came in the second half.
UP NEXT
The Lancers road trip will take one more big swing before coming to an end as CBU will head to Texas next week to take on the University of Incarnate Word on Oct. 1, and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Oct. 3.
CBU has benefited from strong defensive play for much of the non-conference slate, and that continued in Las Vegas, as a stifling defensive unit held the Rebels to just one goal (penalty kick) on 13 shots. For the seventh time in eight games, CBU held an opponent to one-or-zero goals.
"It was really important to us to have a good start to conference play tonight, but we also knew doing it against a regionally ranked opponent full of fifth year seniors on the road would be a big challenge. There were a lot of good performances tonight but I just have to highlight Bryan's growth in the 9. He's been getting better and better and tonight is just the result of his growth coupled with great passing from the guys around him," Head Coach Coe Michaelson said after the win. "It's a bit of a grind to go on one more road trip next weekend considering what we have already been through, but we've been responding to the challenge and we look forward to Texas and the opportunity to take one more step forward in a really tough conference."
To say that Bryan Iliohan had been hot coming into this game would be an understatement. Iliohan had scored four goals in the previous three games, claiming braces against St. Thomas and Gonzaga. However, in an effort to outdo himself, Iliohan completed the first Lancer hat trick in nearly three years, scoring in the 29th, 51st, and 88th minutes.
Iliohan scored his first goal of the night off a long assist from Danny Garcia. The shot would find a sliver of space between the Rebel keeper and the frame, kissing the ball off the inside post for his ninth-career goal.
Garcia ⏩ Iliohan - 2⃣9⃣th minute#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/UIF3ysybLF— California Baptist Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) September 26, 2021
He didn't wait long to record his second brace in as many games, as he headed in his second goal of the night off of an arcing assist from Luis Mueller, again beating the Rebel keeper on the near post.
Iliohan now has 🔟 career goals as a Lancer!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ZaPTDLjhhZ— California Baptist Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) September 26, 2021
A foul inside the Lancers' defensive box presented the Rebels with a penalty kick that they would convert, cutting the CBU lead back down to one in the 55th minute.
Iliohans final goal was a mixture of sound defense Chris Heckenberg who knocked away a soft pass from UNLV, and heads-up thinking from Iliohan. Bryan collected the loose ball just outside of the box, took a few dribbles to collect himself and sent in his third and final goal through the legs of the UNLV keeper.
🤯🤯🤯
Bryan Iliohan just recorded the first Lancer hat trick since Preston Judd did it in August of 2018!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/ulWIZtO9Gs— California Baptist Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) September 26, 2021
The three-goal performance from Iliohan brings him to seven goals on the season and moves him up to a tie for first-place in the conference standings, he and Reshaun Wilkes from UTRGV are currently knotted at seven apiece.
Also hot for the Lancers is starting goalkeeper Evan Ince. The redshirt-sophomore stopped eight shots on the night, six of which came in the second half.
🦶🚫
Goalies are allowed to use their hands, but Evan Ince makes easy work of this Rebel shot with a foot save!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/mKH7ZwQ4pu— California Baptist Men's Soccer (@CBUmsoccer) September 26, 2021
UP NEXT
The Lancers road trip will take one more big swing before coming to an end as CBU will head to Texas next week to take on the University of Incarnate Word on Oct. 1, and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Oct. 3.
Team Stats
CBU
NLV
Goals
3
1
Shots
12
13
Shots on Goal
7
9
Saves
8
4
Corners
5
5
Fouls
12
6
Scoring Plays
Bryan Iliohan (7)
Assisted By: Danny Garcia
GOAL by CBU Iliohan, Bryan Assist by Garcia, Danny.
28:55
Bryan Iliohan (7)
Assisted By: Luis Mueller
GOAL by CBU Iliohan, Bryan Assist by Mueller, Luis.
50:43
Bailey Letherman
NLV Bailey Letherman PENALTY KICK GOAL.
54:19
Bryan Iliohan (7)
Assisted By: Chris Heckenberg
GOAL by CBU Iliohan, Bryan Assist by Heckenberg, Chris.
87:27
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
4
SOG
4
Goals
3
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
MF
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