Striding Forward
Providence Christian men's soccer team hosted the Soka Lions on Saturday October 16th at Ostergard Field in Irwindale. It was a beautiful, but hot day on the pitch, and the heat had its impact on both teams. The Sea Beggars came into this game having not given up a goal the previous 50 minutes of play and they looked to carry that streak for as long as possible. PCC started the game strong, possessed the ball well, and looked for opportunities to test the Soka back line.
The two sides exchanged shots early in the first half, but most of the action was at midfield. The two teams played to a draw until the 19th minute, when Soka took advantage of a mis-touch around the PCC 25-yard line and put it away. With Soka leading 1-0, the teams again battled back and forth for possession, again mostly around midfield for several minutes, but in the 43rd minute Soka was awarded a free kick just outside the box. With the shot deflecting off the Sea Beggar wall, it found its way to the back post, out of PCC goalkeeper Gavin Thogmartin (SO/Oak Hills, CA)'s reach, and into the back of the net to give the Lions a 2-0 lead.
The second half started with Soka holding a 2-0 lead, and the teams continued to fight for possession. With what appeared to be a relatively evenly matched game, Soka found their hot foot again in the 67th minute, #10 Gera De La Torre unmarked inside the 18-yard box, and he was able to finish and make it 3-0. The Sea Beggar back line was tested throughout the remaining minutes, but they held strong, keeping the final score 3-0. Thogmartin came up huge in the net recording seven saves, many of which required acrobatic plays to keep Soka from adding to the score.
The Sea Beggars are improving game by game and showing true resilience this season as they've faced numerous injuries. The future is bright if they continue the current trajectory and stay positive. PCC faces off next against Marymount when they travel to the Mariners on Thursday October 21st at 8:00pm and return home on Monday October 25th at 7:45pm. Come cheer them on to victory!