McAndrew’s Shot Pushes CSUN Past BYU in Soccer, 1-0

In a game of little significance to the Cal State Northridge soccer team, the Matadors played Brigham Young University as if it were the playoffs.

And they celebrated accordingly after Mike McAndrew fired a shot from 30 yards out with 12 seconds left in overtime to give CSUN a 1-0 victory over the Cougars Thursday night.

“This is the kind of climate where a team plays like it’s in the playoffs,” CSUN Coach Marwan Ass’ad said. “It was like a playoff game because we poured it on and didn’t get any goals. That’s how it is in the big games.”

The BYU victory and Sunday’s match with Cal State Los Angeles are just preludes to the Matadors’ appearance in the upcoming Division II playoffs.

The Matadors outshot the Cougars 22-9 in the first two periods and 6-0 in the two 10-minute overtime periods.

“I think that without our other players, we had to play defense at the expense of not playing offense,” said BYU Coach Jim Dusara. He was referring to Joseph Ngassa and Dragisha Ignjatovie. Both starters are injured, leaving the Cougars without their leading scorer and assist man.

“Our goalie could have had his 14th shutout,” Dusara said.

Instead, CSUN goalie Phil Heaver earned his 10th. BYU’s Gary Niedermeier held off for one hour and 50 minutes before McAndrew’s desperation shot slipped through in overtime.

McAndrew, who broke his own school assist record this season, usually feeds to forwards Frank Cubillos and John Tronson. Ass’ad calls him an unsung hero.

“To me, that’s a lot of fun,” said McAndrew, who recorded his third goal of the season. “I don’t mind being the guy who makes all the assists or being the playmaker. That’s my job. We have guys who can score like crazy if I can get them the ball.”

The game could have been billed as the Valley versus the World.

CSUN fields 17 Valley area players on its 20-man roster. BYU, on the other hand, has players from Canada, Tanzania, Brazil, West Germany, Yugoslavia, Peru, West Africa and Uganda.

BYU, a Division I independent, also has a California player, freshman Keith Kemsley of Valencia. Kemsley was an all-Southern Section soccer player at Hart High.

“It’s great to play here,” he said. “I played against some of these guys in high school. One of those guys (Mike Harvey) was on my team.”

When Kemsley’s name was announced, he drew more than a visiting player’s share of applause.

“He is a really great player,” Said Dusara of Kemsley. “He’s the one kid from this area that we got.”

And he was physical. In fact, all the Cougars were physical.

Kemsley, who is 5-10, 150, got into a scrap with CSUN’s 6-4, 200-pound Tronson in one of the many scuffles that broke out during the game. Another included Harvey and Niedermeier. After the BYU goalie had bumped CSUN’s Francisco Lobos, Harvey arrived on the scene and poked his finger in Niedermeier’s chest. Harvey is 5-3, 120; Niedermeier 6-3, 215.

“They are a very physical team,” Dusara said. “That surprised us. But they are also an excellent team that is well-coached. They have to be the best team that we have played all season.”

With the win, CSUN improves its overall record to 15-3-1. Brigham Young is 12-8-1. The Matadors play Cal State Los Angeles at Northridge Sunday at 6 p.m.