College notebook: Saint Martin’s men’s soccer ends grueling weekend schedule with win against Chico State
Following a stretch of three games in five days to open 2015 non-conference play, Saint Martin’s men’s soccer coach Rob Walker jokingly compared his players to dead men walking.
“It’s like a biology experiment gone wrong,” he said.
The Saint Martin’s men’s soccer team hosted three California schools, finishing 1-1-1.
The Saints tied the University of California, San Diego, 1-1, in overtime Sept. 3 before dropping a 4-0 contest to California State University, Los Angeles less than 48 hours later.
The Saints rounded out the long weekend by edging Chico State, 3-2, on Monday. It was the first time in school history the Saints have bested the Wildcats — Chico State leads the overall series, 4-1.
“To send a team home that’s from California — it happens to us when we go down there — it’s nice to have it go the other way,” Walker said.
The Saints jumped in front early on a dribbler by Kyle Witzel in the seventh minute and a penalty kick by Kaleb Strawn in the 16th, entering halftime leading, 2-0.
Matt Hurlow trimmed the deficit to one in the 48th minute, but Derrick Gonzales answered for the Saints in the 64th minute after following his own shot that was deflected to score SMU’s third goal.
By that point, fatigue factored in.
Walker estimated Witzel and Gonzales played 260 of the 290 minutes during the three games — and ran about five miles per game. Strawn endured the full 290, including the 20-minute overtime period against UCSD.
Walker said the Saints’ ability to hold off the Wildcats in the final six minutes shows the physical and emotional capacity of his team.
“That’s when heart, playing smart and playing for time sometimes helps,” Walker said. “That’s what you have to do to ice the game away.”
SMU travels to Pacific University at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Saints play host to Seattle Pacific at 3 p.m. on Sept. 19 to open Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
GEODUCKS ON SCORING SURGE
The Evergreen men’s soccer team outscored opponents 6-1 in its first two matches to open the 2015 season winning both.
Six different players scored the goals.
Tom Kemennu, Ryan Porch and Willie Spurr all found the back of the net in Evergreen’s season-opening, 3-1 win at Northwest Christian University in Eugene on Aug. 27.
On Sunday, Tanner Williams, Juan Lopez and Crisantos Chavez each scored as the Geoducks shut out Doane College, 3-0.
“They’re willing to share and put team goals ahead of personal goals, which is a great thing from people who are individually talented,” coach John Purtteman said.
Last season, the Geoducks barely averaged more than one goal per match, scoring 21 in 18 outings.
Evergreen travels to Salem to face Willamette University at 7 p.m. Saturday.
CLIPPERS IN TRANSITION
New programs and new faces are debuting at South Puget Sound Community College.
Chris Crowe, previously an assistant with the men’s soccer program, was hired as the head coach in July. Crowe replaces Nate Salveson, who coached the Clippers for one season. SPSCC hosts Highline at 2:15 p.m. Saturday to open NWAC play.
The college also has added volleyball to its athletic slate beginning in 2016. It dropped the softball program after last season, and offers men’s soccer and men’s and women’s basketball.
SPSCC athletic direct Nick Schmidt, who was hired in June, said the decision to add volleyball was an opportunity to move forward and better engage the campus community.
“I know there’s a lot of volleyball talent in the area,” he said.
This story was originally published September 9, 2015 at 9:27 PM with the headline "College notebook: Saint Martin’s men’s soccer ends grueling weekend schedule with win against Chico State."