Occidental College men’s soccer battled to a 2-2 tie with La Verne in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) match held September 16, 2026, at W.C. Patterson Field at Jack Kemp Stadium in Los Angeles.
Piero Falconi Pujalt gave Occidental an early lead by scoring at 3:16, but La Verne’s Alexander Bastidas equalized at 19:44. The teams remained tied 1-1 into halftime.
In the second half, Occidental dominated offensively, outshooting La Verne 15-3 and earning nine corner kicks. Elijah Edelman converted a penalty kick at 87:18 to give Occidental a late 2-1 lead.
However, Alexander Bastidas scored his second goal at 89:41 to tie the match for La Verne. Despite Occidental’s 23-12 shot advantage overall and sustained pressure late in the game, the match ended in a 2-2 draw.
Goalkeeper Casey Scott made several key saves for Occidental, while La Verne’s Joshua Simonton also contributed with important stops. The game featured physical play, including a yellow card issued to Isaac Wright, but remained competitive until the final whistle.
CSB Take
Occidental men’s soccer showed strong offensive control and created numerous scoring opportunities, highlighted by a late penalty kick goal from Elijah Edelman. Yet, conceding a late equalizer underscores a need for defensive resilience in critical moments. As SCIAC competition progresses, converting offensive dominance into consistent wins will be essential for Occidental’s aspirations.
Source: Original report
