Men’s soccer defeated Holy Names University Hawks in Oakland, Calif. on Nov. 4. The win marked the conclusion of their first season in NCAA Division ll.

CALL FOR STRONG DEFENSE

The first half of the game consisted of the Eagles showing off a strong offense by taking three shots to the goal and notching three corner kicks. Senior defender Sammy McKay scored the game’s first goal 30 minutes in, marking his fourth goal of the season. Junior midfielder Kousei Mattox recorded an assist on the score. Within the final few minutes of the first half, midfielder Miguel Madruga scored a goal for HNU to tie the game going into halftime.

The second half of the game proved much more competitive for the Eagles. The Eagles strengthened their defense in the beginning of the half. The Eagles offense also took two shots to the goal and two corner kicks. Senior forward Kearon Kerr shot the second goal for the Eagles within the game’s last few minutes. This shot marked Kerr’s sixth goal of the season and third in the past two games.

Sophomore defender Hunter Finnegan, senior midfielder Jarrett Pugh and junior midfielder and forward Gilbert Sotelo each took one shot to the goal. Senior goalkeeper Igor Puglia saved three shots from the goal. The game ended in a 2-1 Eagles victory.

The win also gave the Eagles a two game winning streak after their away win against the Academy of Art University on Nov. 2. The Eagles ended the season with an 8-8-2 overall record, and 7-5-1 in the PacWest conference. The Eagles finished sixth out of 14 teams in the PacWest.

ELIMINATED FROM POSTSEASON PLAY

The Eagles would have qualified for the National Christian College Athletic Association Men’s Soccer Championships if Dixie State University and Fresno Pacific University lost their games on Nov. 4. However, because DSU won their game against Azusa Pacific University, the Eagles will not be moving on to the playoffs.