Jonas Holt
Sports Editor
In a back-and-forth seven-goal thriller, men’s soccer fell short in a 4-3 loss against the Whitman Blues on Saturday at Ortmayer Stadium.
The defeat marks the Leopards’ third straight loss, dropping their overall record to 1-4. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, the Leopards couldn’t hold onto two different leads.
The Leopards got off to an ideal start when sophomore midfielder Alex Bastidas pounced on a defensive blunder by Whitman. A miscommunication between Blues’ goalkeeper Niclas Isensee and his defenders resulted in a poor back pass, as Bastidas capitalized by rounding the Isensee and tapping the ball into an empty net.
The Leopards were up 1-0 just seven minutes into the match, giving them early control.
“We came out strong and scored three goals, we just have to figure out if it’s our intensity that is lacking or it’s tactically,” head coach Trevor Persson said.
The Leopards continued to press high and look dangerous in possession, with freshman forward Alex Singleton providing a constant threat down the right wing.
However, Whitman began to settle into the game and responded with their first real opportunity in the 13th minute, though the shot on goal was comfortably saved by senior goalkeeper Logan Reese.
But the momentum shifted when Whitman equalized in the 18th minute. After a period of sustained pressure, Whitman forward Jacob Burrill found space behind the Leopards’ defense and slotted the ball past Reese to tie the game at 1-1. The goal caused the Leopards to struggle for the remainder of the first half.
The Leopards had a few chances to reclaim the lead, including a free kick earned by freshman defender Julian Arellano in the 32nd minute, but Bastidas’ long-range effort sailed over the crossbar.
In the 35th minute, Whitman continued to grow in confidence and Burrill again caused problems for La Verne’s back line, beating his defender on the left wing before setting up forward Sawyer Valero for a simple finish to make it 2-1.
The Leopards’ troubles deepened when Reese was forced off the field after a hard collision during a diving save.
Junior goalkeeper Hector Duenas-Peña was the man to replace Reese in the 39th minute. Duenas-Peña was immediately called into action, making a crucial save in the closing moments of the first half to keep the score at 2-1 heading into the break.
The Leopards regrouped during halftime, and their determination paid off early in the second half. In the 58th minute, senior midfielder Ruben Gonzalez delivered one of the highlights of the game, a stunning long-range strike from near the 30-yard line.
The ball flew into the top left corner of the net, leaving Isensee with no chance and bringing the Leopards level at 2-2.
“Every game the score hasn’t been in our favor, but we’ve been performing and having good games so we just need to learn and grow,” Gonzalez said.
Just two minutes later, the Leopards found themselves ahead once again. This time, it was senior forward Adan Villareal who found the back of the net, finishing off a well-worked passing move.
Villarreal’s goal in the 60th minute put La Verne up 3-2, and with momentum firmly on their side, as the Leopards looked poised to control the remainder of the game.
“We played well all game, it’s just fixing little things and closing out the game, it’s really small margins,” Villareal said.
As the match progressed, both teams created chances, but neither side could find the composure to finish their opportunities. Whitman nearly equalized in the 65th minute after a mistake in the Leopards’ defense, but the shot went wide.
The game’s defining moment came in the 80th minute when La Verne conceded a penalty. A reckless foul by senior defender Michael Duran gave Whitman the chance to tie the game from the spot.
Valero stepped up for the Blues and converted the penalty, leveling the score at 3-3 with just 10 minutes to go.
Whitman continued to press, and six minutes later Valero completed his hat trick. The forward latched onto a loose ball in the box and fired past Duenas-Peña, giving Whitman a 4-3 lead in the 84th minute.
“We can’t lose possession in our defensive third, we did it four times and it led to four goals,” Persson said. “And we have to change that and it’s awful because we played so well.”
Despite some late efforts to push forward, the Leopards couldn’t find a way back into the match.
The final whistle blew with the Blues walking away 4-3 winners, leaving the Leopards frustrated with their inability to hold onto their leads.
“We just have to come in with the mentality every practice and game now that it’s only up from here,” sophomore forward Christopher Salas said.
The Leopards are now on a four game losing streak after a 1-0 loss against UC Santa Cruz on Wednesday evening.
The Leopards will look to snap the losing streak and bounce back as they open up Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ortmayer Stadium against the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen.
Jonas Holt can be reached at jonas.holt@laverne.edu.
Jonas Holt is a senior journalism major with a concentration in print and online journalism. He is sports editor of the Campus Times, a staff writer for La Verne Magazine and staff photographer for both publications. He has previously been a staff writer for the Campus Times.
Emily Casillas is a junior photography major with a concentration in sports photography. She is a staff photographer for both the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine, as well as La Verne Athletics. Her work can also be found at Shot2byEmily.
