REDLANDS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran's Brandon Kearney scored the game winner, Cody Collins had the assist, and the men's soccer team won the 2017 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament Championship as the No. 2 seeded Kingsmen knocked off the top seed Redlands 2-1 in double overtime Saturday night at Farquhar Field. CLU goalkeeper Eduardo Garcia was named the MVP of the SCIAC Tournament.
The win gives the Kingsmen the SCIAC's automatic bid to the Division III NCAA Tournament. The Violet and Gold (12-4-2) will find out Monday, per the NCAA selection show, who they'll play next.
CLU claimed its second SCIAC Tournament Championship, with its first title coming in 2013.
The first half was highly competitive, but remained even at the break. The teams were close to even when it came to shots, shots on goal, saves and fouls.
Each offense had their chances to break the scoring open, but the opposing defenses held strong. The Kingsmen took four shots and the Bulldogs had three, with each team getting one shot on goal. Garcia and Redlands' Josh Haskill both tallied one save.
In the second half, the Kingsmen got on the board, first, in the 52nd minute. CLU took a free kick and sent the ball into the box. After the ball bounced around, Cristian Yepez found himself open with the ball at his feet and put it past the goalkeeper for the 1-0 lead.
In the 80th minute, CLU was called for a handball in the box. Redland's Kayvon Parsa took the penalty kick and scored the equalizer. Regulation ended and the teams headed to overtime with a golden goal outcome.
In the 105th minute of the double overtime period, Collins crossed the ball into the box and Kearney beat the defender to the ball to score the game-winner.
Garcia was a monster in front of the net for the Kingsmen and turned back shot after shot in the second half and both overtime periods. He tallied two saves in both of the overtime periods and totaled 10 throughout the game.
The defense was also on point during the game, while only allowing the one goal, which came from the penalty kick. Daniel Aguilar, Danny Pacheco, Charlie Villa-Lovos and Yepez protected Garcia and the goal.
The Kingsmen's next opponent will be determined Monday during the NCAA Division III selection show.
Box Score: CLU 2, UR 1 (2OT)
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director