Otero's Overtime Header Lifts CMS Men's Soccer to 1-0 Victory over Pomona-Pitzer

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Rafael Otero got loose on the back end of a chip pass from Lukas Huntington just outside the six-yard box and snapped a header inside the right post 2:19 into the first overtime session, as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men's soccer team captured a 1-0 win over Pomona-Pitzer in a non-league game on Wednesday night. 

CMS saw its record improve to 11-1-2 and increased its unbeaten streak to twelve games in a row (11-0-1) with the victory. Pomona-Pitzer fell to 7-5-1 overall with the loss. 

The Stags outshot the Sagehens 12-5, while Eduardo De Anda recorded his seventh shutout of the season, and saw his career record move to 19-1-2 with the win (9-1-1 as a sophomore, 10-0-1 this season).

CMS was knocking on the door during regulation, especially when Jake Allmon sent a strike on goal but unluckily connected with the crossbar from 12 yards out 33:22 into the first half. Eric Sanchez also had a chance with the rebound opportunity, but sent the loose ball just over the crossbar. 

Otero scored the game-winning goal once Huntington played a perfectly placed chip over mutiple Pomona-Pitzer defenders, timing his pass just as Otero was making a run down the middle behind the Sagehen defense. Otero very nearly had two game-winning headers against Pomona-Pitzer this season, as his leaping effort with a minute to go in regulation two weeks ago missed just inches wide of the post in a game that ended in a 1-1 draw.

CMS will be back in action on Saturday when it hosts the La Verne Leopards at 7 p.m. at Pritzlaff Field in a SCIAC matchup. The Stags can clinch at a least a share of the regualr season title, as well as the SCIAC top seed, with a win over the Leopards.