SANTA CLARITA, Calif. -- Vanguard men's soccer took on The Master's on Wednesday afternoon in a non-conference game, as both sides had an extra date to fill on the calendar.  The two Golden State Athletic Conference foes battled out a contest of defense and midfield acumen but late in the first half, Sidney Dina collected his first collegiate goal to put VU ahead for good.  The 1-0 victory puts Vanguard at 3-1-4 overall and TMU falls to 3-2-2.
 
What Happened? The first half was a stalemate overall, with the teams combining for five total shots.  The Master's had two shots in the first 10 minutes, but both missed the net that Edwin Monterrosa was guarding.  The third TMU attempt at goal in the 20th minute also sailed high but Monterrosa did have to come up with a stop in the 26th minute, as he was able to hold onto a fast-paced shot from just outside the box.  The Lions also got into a little foul trouble in the first half, as both Stewart Alvayero and Jared Subarsky each picked up yellow cards.
 
Offensively, VU had two corner kicks just past 20 minutes gone but the squad did not have a shot until the 37th minute.  However, that one shot was good enough to be the difference in the match.  The Blue and Gold hounded the TMU defenders as they tried to get the ball out of their own end.  Markus Garcia forced a turnover and Donald Kiernan made a tidy pass to a wide-open Dina.  He took the ball on his right foot, drove into the 18-yard box, and then whipped a left-footed shot over the Mustang goalie and into the side netting to score the only tally of the game.  Neither side could get a shot away the rest of the half and the Lions went to the break ahead 1-0, even though they had been outshot 4-1.
 
Garcia put up a powerful shot just a couple of minutes into the new half but it arched wide of the net.  TMU almost got an equalizer in the 62nd minute, as a Mustang forward snuck around Monterrosa, but he shot the ball wide as two VU defenders challenged him.  The Blue and Gold were able to make a few good movements up the field, with Nathaniel Gomez putting up the next VU shot in the 64th minute, but it missed the net.  The Mustangs would own a majority of the possession during the next 12 minutes, but despite their good passing, they could not unlock the VU defense.  Monterrosa made his second save in the 76th minute, and after that, he did not have to make another stop.
 
The Lions made a late push for goal number two in the 80th minute, as both Alvayero and Dina blasted shots on goal, but TMU goalie Kian Bensend made the crucial saves to keep his team in the match.  Vanguard had two corner kicks off of those chances and though they did not get another shot, Vanguard also kept TMU from generating a shot over the final 14 minutes of the match to seal the win.
 
Vanguard was outshot 7-6 but VU had a 4-2 edge in shots on goal and a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.  Dina had both of his shots hit the target, with Alvayero and Lucah Flores each putting one shot on goal.  Monterrosa made two saves to collect his third shutout of the season.
 
What was Said?  "This is always a tough place to play," relayed Head Coach Jesus Miramontes.  "Some leaders stepped up and played well.  A freshman also had a great goal.  It took a team effort and we found a way to grind out a win on the road."
 
What is Next?  With another open date on the schedule, VU picked up a contest against Stanton that will be played at home on Saturday, September 30, at 4:00 p.m.