Reporter
On senior night, the CSU Bakersfield men’s soccer team remained undefeated at home in Western Athletic Conference play as they took down the University of Missouri-Kansas City with a 2-1 overtime win in overtime.
“We’ve been playing good at home and we play different at home,” said CSUB head coach Richie Grant. “We play better, we’re braver, we’re good in possession, and we really look like ourselves. Right now we’re very pleased to be at five wins at home, undefeated and Sunday will be about trying to protect that record.”
The Roadrunners looked to take the lead as they pressured the Kangaroos for the first 20 minutes of the game.
At the 18:32 mark, CSUB almost took the lead as a great back to back pass from sophomore forward Niklas Korber and freshman midfielder Ricardo Soza led to a shot hitting the crossbar from a Soza shot.
The Roadrunners started off the second half strong as they had two shots on target within the first four minutes
At the 58:25 minute mark, Soza played a long ball from right to left to redshirt sophomore Sebastian Mentel who hit a rocket impossible to stop for the Kangaroos keeper to put CSUB up 1-0.
The CSUB lead didn’t last long as UMKC tied up the game at the 60:10 minute mark.
A shot from a UMKC attacker was blocked by redshirt freshman goalkeeper Detre Bell, but the rebound was crossed and headed pass Bell by forward Eric McWoods for his tenth goal of the season.
At the 75:17 minute mark, another long ball was played to Mentel who hit another rocket, this time the UMKC goalkeeper managed to get a fingertip to it but the ball looked like it crossed the goal line when it came off the top post. The referees said to play on and the game continued 1-1 for the rest of the half which meant they were headed into overtime.
“I’m feeling good but it’s all about my teammates too,” said Mentel. “Our defense held us in the game, Detre is always phenomenal. They played me the balls that I needed to get chances.”
The hero of the night was Mentel, after a controversial goal wasn’t counted for him and the Runners, he netted the game winning goal in overtime something he did not too long ago against Grand Canyon University at home as well. Mentel received a ball on the right flank dribbled past two defenders and shot at goal, the ball deflected off a UMKC defender and found the back of the net.
“The team felt good and to win like that is always great,” said senior midfielder Marshall Garcia. “We won like that versus GCU and when full time came we knew we were going to win because we’ve been in that situation before. We were locked in and Sebas came through.”
Mentel is now tied with senior defender Jamie Carrey-Morrell with five goals apiece. CSUB outshot UMKC 15-12, while the Kangaroos had seven fouls to the Roadrunners’ six.
Two CSUB players received yellow cards, while one member of the UMKC coaching staff members received one as well.
The Roadrunners, who currently sit fourth in the WAC, will be back at home this Sunday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. as they take on the current WAC leader, Air Force Academy.
