HAYWARD, Calif. - Cal State East Bay's men's soccer kicked its their 2024 home schedule in style, clinching a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Menlo College on Saturday at Pioneer Stadium, with a late penalty kick making the difference.
Leon Eisert opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Eisert's goal, assisted by
Aaron Farnan, found the upper right corner of the net, showcasing the sophomore's growing impact since joining the team in 2023.
Menlo College responded swiftly, with Isak Haukefaer equalizing in the 29th minute. The goal came off a rebound from Johan Mendoza Aguilar's initial shot, which was saved but not controlled.
The decisive moment came late in the second half when Cal State East Bay was awarded a penalty kick in the 78th minute. Yuto Hatayama stepped up to the spot and calmly slotted home the winning goal, which became a 2-1 win for the Pioneers.
- Farnan and Julian Valle had two shots each in the match for the Pioneers.
- Pioneers' goalkeeper Zavier Hajdukovich making five critical saves to secure the win.
- The match statistics highlighted the competitive nature of the game, with Menlo holding a 13-9 shot advantage.
Cal State East Bay head coach Mike Haswell praised his team's performance following the win:
"Menlo was a tough opponent today, well coached and they created a lot of problems for us. Proud of the boys to bounce back after the results last weekend."
Cal State East Bay: 1-2-0
Menlo College: 2-1-0
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UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY |
The Pioneers will next face Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California, on Wednesday, September 18. The match, set to kick off at 4 p.m. at Thorrington Field, marks the beginning of two consecutive away games for the team.
