Westmont College’s Warriors men’s soccer team surged to a 3-2 victory over the Cal State East Bay Pioneers on September 9, 2026, at Thorrington Field in Santa Barbara amid extreme heat conditions that delayed kickoff by an hour.
The game was marked by a first-half own goal benefiting Westmont. Cole Lomeli delivered a corner kick that Logan Race headed toward goal. The ball rebounded off East Bay goalkeeper Adam Corona and a Pioneer defender into the net in the 30th minute.
Westmont extended the lead in the 60th minute when Corbin Kuhn converted a chance, capitalizing on Lomeli’s precise free kick delivery. Cal State East Bay responded with a free kick goal by Guilherme Azevedo to narrow the deficit to 2-1.
Just 24 seconds later, Luis Cortes restored Westmont’s two-goal advantage with a right-footed shot from the penalty arc, assisted by Julius Oehmichen, whose dribbling beat multiple defenders.
Shortly afterward, in the 68th minute, a power outage disabled the scoreboard, forcing the referee to keep official time. Alejandro Zarate, the prior season’s CCAA Offensive Player of the Year, scored a late goal in the 89th minute, bringing Cal State East Bay within one at 3-2.
Westmont goalkeeper Aidan Strickler made several key saves despite difficult sun glare, helping preserve the win. Head coach Morgan Cathey praised the Warriors’ execution, particularly highlighting the first half as their best this season and their defensive discipline that kept East Bay from registering shots on goal during that period.
Westmont is set to host the eighth-ranked Cal State LA Golden Eagles at Thorrington Field at 1:00 p.m. the following Saturday.
CSB Take
Westmont’s hard-fought victory in challenging heat conditions and a disrupted match environment demonstrates the team’s resilience and strong tactical execution. The impressive performances of Luis Cortes and Julius Oehmichen provide a foundation for offensive success, while continued defensive focus will be essential as they prepare to face a higher-ranked opponent. The team will look to build on this momentum heading into their next game against Cal State LA.
Source: Original report
