Box Score

LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s men's soccer team pulled out a game that seemed destined to become its first defeat of the season.

 

Instead, the Golden Eagles tied it up in the final minute of regulation on a penalty kick and got a game-winning goal from Jason Swope less than four minutes into overtime to stun previously-unbeaten Cal State San Bernardino, 3-2, Sunday in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game at Jesse Owens Track.

 

Cal State L.A. (4-0-1, 2-0-1 CCAA), ranked fifth in the nation, won its second straight game after starting the week with a tie against Cal State Dominguez Hills. The Golden Eagles, ranked fifth in the nation, lead the CCAA South Division with seven points.

 

The Coyotes (5-1, 1-1 CCAA) are off to their best start since 2001 and held the lead for almost of the second half before Cal State L.A.'s Aza Gomez drew a foul in the penalty box and was awarded a penalty kick with 38 seconds remaining in regulation. Gomez' attempt just got past a diving Cal State San Bernardino goalie Arath De La Rocha, who was just able to get his fingertips on the attempt before it went into the left corner of the goal.

 

The Golden Eagles came out in the overtime with a renewed energy and got the game-winner less than four minutes into the extra period. Kristian Gaustad sent a beautiful pass to a streaking Swope down the right side. Swope got off a hard shot at La Rocha, who was able to make the initial save. Swope, though, beat two Cal State San Bernardino defenders to the rebound and knocked it into the left corner of the net for his third goal in two games.

 

The Golden Eagles wound up with a 21-9 advantage in shots. De La Rocha had a strong game in goal for the Coyotes and made seven saves, while Tobias Hummel recorded a season-high five saves for Cal State L.A.

 

The Golden Eagles took a 1-0 lead just two minutes into the game. Gaustad had the first golden opportunity to score when he stole a clearing attempt by the Coyotes and rifled a shot off the post in the first minute. Cal State L.A. kept the pressure on and Swope found Federico Cino alone in front of the net and he blasted a one-timer into the upper right corner of the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Cal State San Bernardino, though, came right back to tie it just five minutes later when Obi Agwu scored his first of two goals. He received a perfectly-placed pass from Jeremiah Marquez, split the defense, and sent a shot into the upper left corner of the goal.

 

The Coyotes took a 2-1 lead early in the second half when Agwu scored again in the 47^th minute. This time, he got off a shot that hit the post and he pounced on the rebound and knocked it in to give the Coyotes a 2-1 lead.

 

Although the Golden Eagles turned up the heat down the stretch, De La Rocha preserved the lead after making a diving deflection of a shot by Tony Hernandez in the 61^st minute. The lead held up until Gomez was fouled in the box and made his penalty kick.

 

Cal State L.A. will return to action with a conference match at Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday.