Westmont and Azusa Pacific men’s soccer programs each claimed their second win in as many days in the final day of the Westmont Heritage Club Classic. The Cougars, ranked second in the NAIA, dispatched #7 Oklahoma Baptist (1-2) by a score of 4-2 while the Warriors (2-0) shutdown #6 Hastings (Neb.) 2-0.

Freshman midfielder Shawn Grieco gave the Warriors a 1-0 advantage just past the twelve minute mark. A shot by junior forward Johnny Alcaraz was deflected high into the air by Chris Ladwig, the Bronco’s goalkeeper. But Grieco was able to control the ball and put it in the net for the score.

Alcaraz added a goal of his own in the seventy-fifth minute scoring from 15 yards out on a pass from Michael Thompson.

“I thought Mike Thompson today was incredible today,” said head coach Dave Wolf. “What he was still able to do from a physical standpoint at the end of the game shows the kind of heart he has.”

The Warrior’s defense proved to be too much for Hastings (0-4). Senior goalkeeper Logan Frank notched eight saves, including a spectacular save on a free kick from just outside the box in the first period. A Bronco player launched the ball over a wall of Westmont athletes, but Frank jumped to his left and knocked the ball away from the goal.

“To pitch a shutout on the second day of back-to-back games is testimony to the improvement in our defense,” said Wolf. “Defense was the question mark this season and that was obviously magnified when we played at UCSB. The key thing to me is that the defensive squad stuck together after the UCSB game which allowed us to immediately begin working on the tactics of their defending. In two weeks time they’ve made a lot of improvements in the back.”

Wolf was also pleased with the play of senior midfielder Sam Hartman.

“I thought it was a really good game for Sam,” said Wolf. “He took a good step for us today and was a very important player for us in the middle of the field.”

The win by the Warriors gives them a cumulative record of 13-1-4 in nine years of play in the Heritage Club Classic.

In the first game of the day, Azusa Pacific’s Steven Lenhart recorded two of the Cougars four goals with Dustin McBride and Kolt Callaway picking up the other scores. Skelly Keller and Sven Simon each had two assists.

[APU-OBU stats] [WC-HC stats]