POMONA, Calif. - The Cal State San Marcos men's soccer team scored two early goals and put away Pomona-Pitzer, 2-0, for its third consecutive victory to start the 2014 season on Friday afternoon at Pomona-Pitzer Soccer Field.
Eric Lopez opened the scoring in the 12th minute before
Yuki Hata added the final tally in the 22nd.
Zach Sheppard made four saves in net to secure his second consecutive shutout for CSUSM (3-0) and started the play that led to the Cougars' first score.
Off a goal kick from Sheppard,
Scott Rice went up to challenge a 50-50 ball at the half line and it skipped off the pair to
Angel Mora on the back edge of the circle.
Mora popped it over the PP (2-1) back line with a clever flick onto the path of Lopez, who had sprinted in behind a flat-footed defender.
Lopez took a touch to his right and fired a low shot into the left corner for his second goal of the season.
10 minutes later, PP made a mess of a clearance at the top of the box and the ball fluttered to an unsuspecting Hata. He tucked a one-time, left-footed cracker inside the left post, leaving the goalkeeper virtually hopeless.
CSUSM is 3-0 for the second season in a row.
The Cougars head to Marymount (Calif.) Tuesday to face the Mariners in Long Beach before coming home to Mangrum Soccer Field to clash with The Master's College on Friday, Sept. 12 at 5 p.m.
