Broncos Hang With Top Teams

Soccer team begins conference play with tough tests

Claire McLoughlinTHE SANTA CLARAOctober 9, 2014

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]anta Clara competed with two West Coast Conference foes at Loyola Marymount University and the University of San Diego this weekend, tying the Lions and falling to the Toreros.

The Broncos held last year’s WCC champs, LMU, to a 1-1 draw on Friday and fell to USD 2-1 on Sunday.

In the match against the Lions, junior Max Ornstil scored within the first 20 minutes, giving the Broncos a lead until the 81st minute when an LMU player slotted in a penalty kick, tying the game.

After two overtime periods, the game was called as a draw at 1-1. “We played really well against LMU,” said Head Coach Cam Rast.

“We controlled the flow of the game really well and possessed the ball when we needed to, we attacked when we could. We were organized and ready defensively.”

The Broncos had a short rest before taking the field against San Diego at Buck Shaw Stadium on Sunday. The two teams traded close shots on goal until the Toreros were able to convert a header into a goal in the 21st minute.

San Diego connected with the back of the net again before the half was over, bringing the score to 2-0 at halftime. “Our focus wasn’t great (during the first half ),” said Rast. “Our energy in terms of competing with a first and a second effort … wasn’t there.”

The Broncos stepped it up in the second half. A chip off the foot of sophomore Cesar Rocha connected with the head of sophomore Steve Eneme and sent the ball sailing past the keeper’s gloves into the back left net.

The final score of the match was 2-1.

Although USD and LMU are in the WCC, neither game will count toward WCC Championship standings.

The governing body of the WCC set up the league so that each team might play each other multiple times, but only one contest will count for the point system that determines who takes the title at the end of the season.

The Broncos will only start to play in games that count toward the WCC standings on Oct. 17 when they host the Gonzaga University Bulldogs.

Games after the Gonzaga matchup determine where they stand at the end of the regular season.

According to Rast, these games will prepare the team very well, despite not counting towards the WCC standings.

The Broncos host the University of San Francisco on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 2 p.m.

Contact Claire McLoughlin at camcloughlin@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4852.