HAYWARD, Calif., -- The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team will open California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) play with a Southern California road trip to face Cal State San Marcos and UC San Diego. CSUEB will head to The Cage to take on the Cougars on Friday, September 14 at 3:00 p.m. and then wrap up the weekend against the UCSD on Sunday, September 16 at 11:30 a.m. at Triton Soccer Stadium.
 
WEEK IN REVIEW
The Cal State East Bay men's soccer team defeated Academy of Art, 1-0 in their 2018 home opener at Pioneer Stadium on Thursday night, September 6.
 
East Bay and ART U played a competitive and defensive first half that only saw one shot attempt from both teams combined. The momentum switched back and forth between both teams as they took a scoreless tie into the intermission.
 
The first 30 minutes of the second half were very similar to the first half as the teams ramped up their offensive aggressiveness. But it would be Cal State East Bay who would take advantage of their opportunities on the offensive end.
 
Senior newcomer Jonathan Ayala (Concord, Calif.) scored East Bay's first goal of the 2018 season as he rebounded his own shot and put it pass the right side of the net. Ayala led the Pioneers with three shots during the match.
 
Cal State East Bay would end up taking the shot advantage over the Academy of Art, 9-8 as five of the Pioneers shots came on goal to just four from the Urban Knights.
 
The senior duo of Luis Salazar (San Lorenzo, Calif.) and Jonathan Cuevas (Reno, Nev.) each compiled two shots apiece while Jared Simarago (Los Alamitos, Calif.) and Jared Johnson (Los Altos, Calif.) both tallied one shot attempt for the contest.
 
Omar Coronel (Santa Rosa, Calif.) played all 90 minutes in the box for the Pioneers and recorded four saves during the game while not allowing any goals.
 
The Cal State East Bay men's soccer closed their weekend home stand with a 6-0 defeat to the visiting Colorado School of Mines on Sunday afternoon, September 9 at Pioneer Stadium.
 
Despite the final score of the game, the Pioneers competed through every whistle and played hard until the final horn.
 
The Orediggers entered the intermission with a, 4-0 advantage after scoring goals in the 9th, 11th, 36th and 39th minute. Mines would add two more goals in the second half to walk away with the 6-0 road win.
 
CSM lead the battle of shots, 18-6 over CSUEB with 12 of the Orediggers shots coming on goal to just one shot on goal from the Pioneers.
 
Senior Jonathan Cuevas (Reno. Nev.) and Michael Francisco (Hayward, Calif.) paced East Bay with two shots each with Francisco having the Pioneers lone shot on goal. Senior Jonathan Ayala (Concord, Calif.) and freshman Victor Aguila (Redwood City, Calif.) added one shot attempt each for East Bay.
 
Senior goalkeeper Omar Coronel (Santa Rosa, Calif.) compiled a team high four saves through 45 minutes of action. Freshman Juan Diego Escalante (Castro Valley, Calif.) saw his first action of the 2018 season and recorded two saves.
 
PIONEER POINTS
Jonathan Ayala (Concord, Calif.) leads the Pioneers with one goal and two points on the season. He is also tops on the team with six total shots with five shots coming on goal. Ayala also has CSUEB's lone game-winning goal of the season.
 
Senior Jonathan Cuevas (Reno. Nev.) and Brett Fuchs (Folsom, Calif.) are tops on the team in minutes played. Cuevas leads the Pioneers with 260 minutes played while Fuchs is right behind him with 250 minutes of action.
 
Goalkeeper Omar Coronel (Santa Rosa, Calif.) leads the Pioneers in the box with 10 saves through three games played including one shutout. Juan Diego Escalante (Castro Valley, Calif.) is second on the squad with two saves.
 
SCOUTING CAL STATE SAN MARCOS
The Cougars are off to a 4-0 start to a season with victories over Concordia Irvine, Biola, Montana State-Billings and Saint Martin's. Josh Mendez leads San Marcos with three goals and Juan Camilo Salazar is tops on the Cougars with two assists. Justin Tesar is leading the squad with 15 saves while logging 90 minutes in all four games.
 
SCOUTING UC SAN DIEGO
The Tritons have begun the season, 4-0 with wins over Biola, Azusa Pacific, Concoria Irvine and Saint Martin's. Nick Cirrito is tops on the team with two goals while Jeff Powers and Nathaniel Bloom are tied for the UCSD lead with two assists apiece. In goal Pedro Enciso is first on the team with 13 saves and two shutouts.