SMU Soccer Defeats CSU-Northridge 1-0

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. (SMU) – The SMU men’s soccer team defeated Cal State Northridge 1-0 Friday night at Matador Soccer Field. Redshirt freshman Tyler Engel scored the game’s lone goal. With the win, the Mustangs improve to 4-3 on the season while the Matadors move to 2-4-1.

“Tonight we got a really good win against a very strong Cal-State Northridge team,” head coach Tim McClements said. “Playing on the road, you’ve got to find a way to win those games, and the guys did a great job getting the result tonight. It was a really tight game; each team had several opportunities. As the game went on, we played better and better and were eventually rewarded with a goal.”

Engel scored the game’s lone goal in the 58th minute. Redshirt freshman Damian Rosales headed the ball on to forward Juan Castillo who then whipped the ball into the box where Engel stepped in front of a Matador defender and finished from 10 yards out. The goal was Engel’s team-leading second of the season. The Mustangs currently have 10 goals scored this season by nine different players.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jaime Ibarra made three saves on the night to earn his second clean sheet of the season. Ibarra has allowed only three goals in six games played for the Mustangs this year.

“The guys are playing our opponents one game at a time,” McClements said. “We needed to get a result tonight, and we got it. Now, we’ve got to go out and play UCLA Sunday. They made it to the Elite 8 last year like us, so it’ll be a good measuring stick to see where we are.”

SMU plays at No. 18 UCLA Sunday at 3 p.m. CT.