Box score
Santa Barbara, Cailf. – The #12 ranked FPU men's soccer team had another rough and controversial outing this afternoon in Montecito as they faced a tough Westmont College squad. After playing a competitive first half that ended tied at 0-0, the Sunbird's #Eddie Gonzales# was issued a red card in the opening three minutes of the second half that left FPU to play a man down for the remainder of the game, and gave the Warriors all the momentum they would need to roll to a 3-0 victory.
The booking came as a result of a scuffle between Gonzales and a Westmont player that ensued in the FPU goalbox prior to a Westmont free kick from outside the penalty area. Gonzales had apparently lost his composure after the two players were jockeying for position, eventually throwing a slight punch that sent the Warrior flailing to the ground. In plain view, the center referee had no choice but to eject Gonzales from the contest.
Following the red card, the Sunbirds had to adjust from a 4-4-2 to a 4-3-2 formation, and had difficulty creating the same rhythm and control they had established in the first half.
“I thought we played well the first half and had the better run of play,” conveyed Sunbird head coach Jaime Ramirez. “Unfortunately, the red card changed the game in Westmont's favor and we were two different teams from the first half to the second. We just didn't respond well to going a man down.”
Shortly after FPU was reduced to ten men, Westmont would begin to exploit their man advantage. The Warriors opened the scoring in the 54th minute after Westmont's Jake Joyner ran onto a ball Sunbird's #Fernando Ferrari had intended to pass back to goalkeeper Brandon Cave.#Ferrari's pass was intercepted by Joyner who was able to beat Cave 1v1, and then play the ball to teammate Andrew Schneider who converted the shot to give Westmont the 1-0 advantage.
The Warriors would double their tally in the 75th minute off of a Henry Sarmiento corner kick that swung in between two Sunbird defenders to find the feet of teammate Anthony Strunz. Strunz was able to volley it in to extend Westmont's lead to 2-0.
The third and final Warrior goal came in the 81st minute as a result of a cross that Sunbird goalkeeper #Tim Nightingale# had misplayed. Nightingale had misread the flight of the ball, causing him to deflect it into the path of oncoming Warrior Jonathan Schoff, who was there to tap it in to give Westmont the 3-0 result.
With the loss, the Sunbirds drop to 7-2-1 (3-2-1), but will look to bounce back as they host Cal Baptist this Saturday October 18th. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00PM.
