COSTA MESA - A 0-0 draw seemed a relatively fair result after 89 minutes for VU men's soccer Thursday afternoon, but a defensive lapse on a late set piece handed Cal State Monterey Bay the win in the 90
th minute, sealing a 1-0 defeat for the Blue and Gold. The Lions still hunt for their first win of the season, dropping to 0-4-1. It's the first time VU have gone without a win in their first five games of the season since 2010. CSUMB continue their best start to a season of the decade, improving to 4-0.
VU led in total shots 11-8 but trailed 5-1 in shots on goal. Freshman
Caleb Johnson had a career-best four saves. Each side earned three corner kicks.
What Happened? VU had a lopsided 7-2 lead in shots in the first half but the visitors still managed a solid showing across the first 45 minutes. The Otters played a standard 4-4-2 formation, but had two strikers who managed to muddy things up within the Lion defense. Nonetheless, the home team put out the first four shots of the game with no response from the Otters.
Luke Parker and
Alex Martinez had the first tries of the contest, each trying their luck from distance, but neither reaching the frame.
VU's best quality chance of the first half was
Robert Ronco's opportunity in the 11
th minute to nearly snatch his second goal in as many games. Ronco worked off the shoulder of his defender to open up the space from the left wing and run on goal. The graduate student sent his man to the shops with a clever drop of the shoulder, and opened up his body to curl the right footed effort just past the bottom right corner in a narrow miss.
The match slightly lost tempo after CSUMB received the afternoon's first booking in the 21
st minute. The reinforced ranks serviced the Otters well, but paired with the blistering heat, the game stalled into a near 20-minute spell without a shot, as both teams wrestled for possession as well as position in the midfield. The only gripping development during the span came with CSUMB's challenge on a potential VU handball in the penalty box, but the VAR check correctly labeled Vanguard an innocent party.
The Otters spilt an even 2-2 shot trade with VU in the final seven minutes of the half. Their effort to Johnson's left in the 39
th minute proved a routine stop for the freshman keeper, while their golden opening with a shot at the edge of the box with eight seconds left in the period was dragged wide.
The second half presented a better shot spread (6-4) for CSUMB and much better trade with the whistle (2-12 fouls) in a final 45 with a less progressive pacing than its predecessor.
The Otters had the first shot of the half with Johnson making his first of three saves of the interval. It was Vanguard who had its most threatening spell next, with a 10-minute phase which almost broke the deadlock.
Luke Parker was the architect of the first chance after winning on the ball on right edge of CSUMB goal line. Positioned outside the box and welcomed by two Otters defenders, Parker pierced through the Otter wall and dribbled square toward goal. His cross was put toward the near post for
Kyle Nelson, who was a Griffin Welch fingertip save over the bar away from his first career goal with VU.
Ronco's effort in the 61
st minute nearly settled the tie, after receiving the ball at the top of the box, and planting a rifle to the top left corner, that sped past Welch but could not beat the crossbar.
The game's concluding 20 minutes was hit by a physical brand between both sides, which produced a large bandwidth of stoppages. Neither side truly seemed convincing enough to lay out the quality to seal the win.
VU fell to a late free kick from the right wing in the last minute of the goal. The initial cross was directed to the back post, where CSUMB regained possession and launched a ball to the other side. A disorganized Lion line left an open man at the back post, as the cushioned header down was met by Sylas Sells to hand VU the loss at the death.
What's Next? Vanguard welcome Cal State East Bay on Saturday at 1 pm.
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