LOS ANGELES -- Cal State LA's men's soccer team put the spirit in a special Spirit Game Friday at University Stadium.
The Golden Eagles took the lead with a goal in the 27th minute and exploded for four more goals in the second half to beat Humboldt State, 5-1, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association contest. Cal State LA (6-1, 3-0 CCAA) stretched its winning streak to four games and set a new season high for goals.
Cal State LA, ranked 12th in the nation, got a pair of second-half goals from leading scorer
Robin Lindahl and also got goals from
Daniel Simonis,
Morten Bjoershol and
Jonathan Hinojosa.
Humboldt State (3-2-2, 0-1-2 CCAA) got a second-half goal from Marco Silveira and five saves from goalkeeper Bryan Hernandez.
Cal State LA had a 13-10 advantage in shots and a 3-2 edge in corner kicks.
Alexander Brems had a strong game in goal for the Golden Eagles, recording a season-high six saves, including a pair of big stops early in the game to keep the contest scoreless.
Simonis put the Golden Eagles ahead with a beautiful strike on a free kick that curved in neatly inside the near post from about 25 yards out. It was his second goal of the season.
The game stayed at 1-0 until halftime and the Golden Eagles unleashed a potent attack in the second half. Bjoershol put the Golden Eagles ahead 2-0 in the 55th minute when he headed a corner kick from
Carlos Zarate into the net for his first goal of the season. It was a tremendous effort with a host of defenders in the area.
The Golden Eagles stretched their lead to 3-0 in the 63rd minute when Hinojosa notched his first goal of the season on a nifty play.
Jorge Chavez started the sequence with a nice pass to
Jose Orellana, who then centered it into the box. Hinojosa controlled the pass, took his time, and fired a shot inside the far post for the goal.
Lindahl made it 4-0 in the 76th minute with an assist from
Manuel Garcia, who centered it into Lindahl. The Golden Eagles' leading scorer tapped it in for his fifth goal of the season.
Silveira ended the Golden Eagles' long shutout string with a great individual effort. He rushed in down the right side and fired a shot that Brems deflected away. Silveira, though, was first to the rebound and knocked inside the far post for his first goal of the season.
Lindahl finished the scoring in the final seconds of the game when he blasted a shot that Hernandez deflected, but not enough to keep the ball from trickling toward the goal. Simonis set up the goal with a well-played pass to Lindahl.
Cal State LA will return to action on Sunday with a home match against Sonoma State at 11:30 a.m. Â