Cal Rips Through Matadors for 5-1 Men’s Soccer Victory

Active offensively, the Cal State Northridge men’s soccer team sprung a defensive leak Friday and was routed by California, 5-1, in a Mountain Pacific Sports Federation game.

Trailing, 2-1, with 12 minutes to play, Northridge (0-2-1) failed to cover California midfielder Peyton Leeke as the Golden Bears made an upfield rush.

With no Matador near him, Leeke collected a pass on the left side of the penalty area and blasted a 25-yard shot past Northridge goalkeeper Victor Lopez to effectively end the game.

Ryan Fitzpatrick scored twice for the Golden Bears (3-0) in the final three minutes.

Despite the outcome and what has become yet another slow-starting Matador team, Northridge Coach Marwan Ass’ad merely smiled and shook his head after the game.

“We could have won,” said Ass’ad, whose 1995 team began 2-4-1 before finishing 9-8-2. “We had more chances on offense but we didn’t convert ours and they did.”

Northridge outshot California, 15-13, but forced Golden Bear goalkeeper Doug Brooks to make only three saves. Many of the Matadors’ shots were closer to the corner flags than the goal.

Northridge forged a 1-1 tie in the 38th minute when freshman forward Michael Preis raced into the penalty area to bury the rebound of a penalty kick by Danny Ortega.

Ass’ad tried filling the back line’s four defensive positions with six different players, five of them in their first year on the team.

“I thought we played well with what we have to work with,” said senior defender Chuck Gordon. “There’s a little miscommunication because some of the young guys don’t want to speak up.”