LOS ANGELES – Regardless of whether the match is played in L.A. or San Bernardino, Cal State San Bernardino's men's soccer team has had a tough time beating the Cal State Los Angeles Golden Eagles.
Such was the case Sunday, as the Yotes absorbed yet another sound defeat at the hands of the hosts, 5-0, a score that included an own goal in which the ball went off a Yotes defender into the net.
CSUSB is now 0-3-1 in their last four CCAA matches and the team record is now 5-4-3 oveall and 2-3-1 in conference play.
Cal State L.A., ranked No. 12 in NCAA Div. II, moved to 10-1-1 (5-1-0) in the CCAA.
The home-and-home series between the two teams started in 1992, the year after the Yotes won their one and only CCAA men's soccer championship.
Over the 31 years of being a CCAA rival, Cal State L.A. has owned the Yotes, leading the series 31-12 with seven ties through Sunday. The Yotes record against L.A. over the last 11 matches, including Sunday's 5-0 defeat, is now 0-8-3.
It's not that the Yotes haven't tried but they've been facing a CSULA side that is looking for its fifth-straight CCAA championship and won the 2021 NCAA Div. II national title.
Since the arrival of current Head Coach Michael Erush as an assistant in 2018, the Golden Eagles are humming along with a 77-19-13 overall record with two CCAA regular season titles, three CCAA tournament titles and two NCAA Super Regional titles.
One of the factors in the team's success over the years has been the presence of a strong contingent of international players. This year's roster has 14 players from overseas, some of whom are defenders on a team that has not yielded a goal in its five CCAA wins. The only loss on this 10-1-1 season so far was 2-0 to CSU Monterey Bay.
It wasn't like the Yotes played badly. They outshot L.A. 11-6 but only two of the shots required a save by Norwegian goalkeeper Julian Aadlandsvik. CSUSB's defense limited L.A. to just six shot. Unfortunately, five found the Yotes net.
A frustrated Yotes side was called for 14 fouls and two yellow cards in the match. L.A. committed just seven fouls.
The Golden Eagles opened up a 3-0 advantage in the first 45 minutes against a Yotes defense anchored by goalkeeper
Aiden Hanes. Just 3:35 into the match, Tommaso Belli of L.A. and Italy, scored on an assist by 2022 All-American Bryan Ortega. Belli's shot high in the net went off of Hanes' fingertips.
In the 12
th minute, the Yotes'
Adrian Aguilar's bid for the equalizer was saved by the keeper.
Ortega than scored to make it 2-0 in the 18
th minute with assists from Jeppe Paulson of Denmark and Andrew Portis.
In the 29
th minute, a foul on the Yotes'
Hector Villanueva put 2022 All-West Region player Oliver Diaz at the line and he converted a penalty kick for a 3-0 lead.
Shots by the Yotes
Nicklaus Sullivan in the 35
th minute and
Michael Maldonado in the 37
th minute were both side of the net.
In the first 10 minutes of the second half CSUSB's
Travis Babineau attempted two shots on target. One missed left and the other hit the crossbar and caromed away. Another try by
Jonathan Mayen was blocked and provided the Yotes with a corner kick, but nothing came of it.
In the 60
th minute, an attempt by Sweden's Oscar Warne was saved by reserve CSUSB goalkeeper Maark Gamez, who played the entire second half.
Moments later, a shot by Sullivan was blocked.
At 68:14, the Golden Eagles were credited with an "own goal" by the Yotes as the ball went off a defender and into the Yotes net.
Later, a shot by CSUSB's David Santos to get the Yotes on the scoreboard was saved by Aadlandsvik. Mayen's shot attempt in the 76
th minute was wide.
Two minutes later, the Golden Eagles wrapped up their scoring on a goal by Sergia Vega to the right corner of the net that eluded Gamez.
CSUSB's last try for a goal came in the 82
nd minute by Villanueva, but the shot was wide.
UP NEXT: The Yotes men travel up the coast to play Cal State Monterey Bay at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20, followed by a match at San Francisco State at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22.
