O'Reilly's Late Penalty Kick Propels CMS to 1-0 Win over Cal Lutheran

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Liam O'Reilly converted a penalty kick with 4:50 remaining in regulation as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's soccer team captured a 1-0 win over Cal Lutheran on Sunday afternoon in a non-conference game at Pritzlaff Field.

With the win, CMS improves to 2-1-1 on the year, with the only loss coming to a non-Division III team (NAIA's Westmont). Cal Lutheran came into the game undefeated but suffered its first loss as it falls to 3-1. 

The game won't factor into the league standings, but it did give the Stags a chance to symbolically remain on their perch atop the league after winning the regular season titles in 2018 and 2019. The teams will play in a league game at Cal Lutheran later this season. 

"I was really happy with the team today," said Head Coach Ryan Fahey. "It felt like we stuck together and did a decent job of dictating play both with and without the ball. It definitely was a good step forward."

Despite it being non-conference, the game had all the intensity of a SCIAC contest, as both teams headed deep into the second half feeling like a win was there for the taking. Each side hit the post early in the second half, with Eric Sanchez denied by the woodwork in the 54th minute, and Cal Lutheran's Erick Mejia seeing his bending header hit the post in the 59th minute. 

Ivan Lumbrano then had two huge saves for Cal Lutheran in the 64th minute on attempts from inside the box 20 seconds apart, coming off his line to smother a shot from Rafael Otero and then denying Houston Engleman with a diving save on the ensuing corner. 

Lumbrano, though, was called for a foul inside the penalty area with 4:50 remaining, setting up a penalty kick. O'Reilly stepped to the spot, and calmly buried a shot for the game's only goal. CMS nearly head an insurance goal in the 89th minute with Lumbrano out of the net, but Walsh Kern's shot was headed off the line by Tyler Sherard. 

CMS finished with a 15-10 edge in shots, although Cal Lutheran was unable to get any of the 10 on target, often trying from long distance, although Mejia's header was just mere inches from going in. Eduardo De Anda went all 90 minutes to get the shutout win and improve to 2-0-1 this year and 11-1-2 in his career. 

The Stags will be back in action on Wednesday night, when they open SCIAC play with a home game against Redlands at 7 p.m. The matchup and the site is identical to the last time CMS played a SCIAC game, when it defeated Redlands 2-0 in the 2019 championship to earn an NCAA Division III Championship bid.