Box Score The 2011 season opened with last-second heartbreak for Cal State San Marcos men's soccer, as a goal by visiting Ashford University in the 89^th minute broke a scoreless tie and sent CSUSM to a 1-0 loss.

The Cougars are now 0-1 on the year.  Ashford improves to 2-0.

It was a tightly played match that took place largely at midfield and on the sidelines, with neither team willing to commit major numbers to the attack and risk leaving themselves vulnerable to the counter.  A tightly-played first half saw Ashford slightly out-shoot the CSUSM and generate the half's best scoring opportunity, with Cougar keeper Chris Quaresma making an excellent decision to charge a ball played over the top, then sprawling to make the save.

The second half saw CSUSM tilt the tables back towards Ashford, as the Cougars started link up better and threaten the Ashford net.  Alex Rodriguez's long throw-ins would also provide a constant threat, functioning essentially like corner kicks.

It culminated in two brilliant opportunities: the first coming when Jake Kaiser got free at the top of the box and launched a shot, bringing out the best in Ashford keeper Daniel Jones, who laid out to parry it away.  The second came on a long ball played over the top which Sullivan Tobin was able to run over and flick past the keeper.  For all the world, it looked like the ball would find its home in the next, but it would roll inches wide.

And that would prove costly, because with under two minutes left to play Quaresma was unable to corral a ball in the box, surrendering a corner kick.  He would get a hand on the ensuing corner, but recently-subbed in Peter Butcher found the loose ball and slammed it home for the match-deciding goal.

CSUSM will look to bounce back from the tough loss