Occidental Snaps CMS Men's Soccer's 19-Game SCIAC Unbeaten Streak

EAGLE ROCK, Calif. – The Occidental men's soccer team took a 2-0 lead at halftime and held off a second half challenge from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps to capture a 2-1 win on Saturday evening at Jack Kemp Stadium.

The loss snaps a 19-game unbeaten streak in SCIAC games for CMS, which falls to 2-3-4 on the year with the loss, and 2-1-1 in league play. The Stags began this year 2-0-1 in conference, after a 12-0-2 season last year and a 3-0-1 finish to the 2019 season (with the 2020 season canceled due to COVID). Occidental improves to 5-2-1 on the year with the win, including 2-1-1 in SCIAC, pulling even with the Stags in the standings. 

Occidental took a 2-0 lead in the first half with goals that came on a header off a short corner kick from Andrew Notter in the 24th minute, and a diagonal ball that was chipped into the net in the 33rd minute by Jake Foster. The Tigers controlled most of the first half, but CMS was able to get a little bit of momentum at the end of the opening session with a couple of shot attempts, including one by Rafael Otero that was saved for a corner kick.  

CMS got a goal back in the early minutes of the second half on a long throw-in, as Troy Lehenbauer had a flick header at the near post that found its way to Eric Sanchez at the far post, and Sanchez was able to one-time it into the net from inside the six-yard box just 5:33 into the second half. With 33 minutes left, Sanchez nearly did it again off of another long throw-in, but he was whistled for an offsides call as he got behind the defense when the ball was flicked forward.

CMS pushed forward looking for the equalizer and had a couple of quality chances, including a header from Chase Keir off a cross from Otero in the 85th minute and a John Laidlaw shot that was blocked in the closing seconds. Occidental finished with a 20-13 edge in shots, and a 12-6 advantage in corner kicks. Daniel Kotkosky had three saves for the Stags in the loss.

CMS will be back in action on Wednesday when it travels to Whittier for a 7 p.m. contest.