CMS Men's Soccer Drops First Game of 2018, Falls To Occidental 2-0

CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Occidental men's soccer team scored twice off set pieces, including off a corner kick just 2:19 into the game, and captured a 2-0 win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday evening at Pritzlaff Field, handing the Stags their first loss of the season.

With the defeat, CMS now stands at 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the SCIAC, while Occidental improves to 7-3 and 5-2 in the SCIAC, tightening up the race atop the league standings. 

Occidental earned a corner kick just two minutes in and took advantage to score the game's first goal. Ariel Rosso took the corner, and drove it to the top of the penalty area, where it was headed forward by Matthew Labrie. Matthew Teplitz was then able to settle it just outside the top of the six-yard box and slot home a shot to make it a 1-0 game, marking only the second goal that the Stags had allowed this season. 

The 1-0 score held until just under 20 minutes remaining, when the Tigers earned a free kick 25 yards out. Ben Simon took the kick and drove a shot towards the left side of the net, but it deflected off the CMS wall an went back to the right. Freshman goalie Jacob Mays stopped in his tracks and doubled back the way he came, nearly making a spectacular save, but it hit off his fingertips and deflected into the side netting inside the post for a 2-0 lead. 

Scott Drazan had five saves for Occidental to get the shutout, including a couple big ones in the second half, denying freshman Ethan Tyng from inside the six-yard box on a cross from William Birchard, and then tipping a shot from Tyng off the post. Sophomore Daniel Rohde nearly converted on the rebound off the post, but just missed wide. 

CMS finished with a 12-10 edge in shots and a 6-4 edge in corners on the day, but were unable to find the net after falling in the early hole. 

The Stags will be back in action on Wednesday when they take on Caltech for a 7 p.m. contest at Pritzlaff Field.