Men's soccer team blanks Golden West
Oct 13, 2006
The Irvine Valley men's soccer team earned its second straight shutout and fourth in its last five games with a 3-0 Orange Empire Conference win over Golden West Friday afternoon at home.
It was also the Lasers fifth win in a row. In the last five games, Irvine Valley has outscored its opponents, 12-1.
Irvine Valley improved its record to 9-2-2 overall and 5-0-1 in conference.
With the win Irvine Valley remained in first place in the Orange Empire Conference standings. Second-place Santa Ana tied Orange Coast on Friday so the Lasers are now three points ahead of Santa Ana.
Irvine Valley plays at Santa Ana next Tuesday.
Irvine Valley out-shot Golden West, 16-8.
The Lasers had an even bigger advantage in the second half, out-shooting the Rustlers, 10-3. Irvine Valley scored both of its goals in the second half.
The Lasers got on the board one minute into the second half when freshman midfielder Erik Van Der Meulen went in for a tackle on a Golden West defender.
Van Der Meulen won the ball, it popped up and he half-volleyed a line drive shot from just near the top of the penalty box that beat Golden West goalie Eric Gonzalez.
Van Der Meulen put the game away in the 76th minute when he took a pass from freshman forward Luis Miguel inside the box and beat Gonzalez.
The play was set up by some nice work down the field by sophomore forward Chad Murray, sophomore midfielder Greg Ricks and Miguel.
The two goals were Van Der Meulen’s second and third of the season.
Irvine Valley goalie Jesus Olivera had to make just three saves in helping preserve the shutout.
“I thought the defense played very well today,” Irvine Valley Coach Martin McGrogan said. “We had some injuries there earlier in the year that hurt us. But that group is doing a great job now. They were the glue out there for us in this win.”
Making up the starting back line for IVC were sophomore Casey Cordray and freshmen Darren Whitty, Mark Shadrack, Scott Kea and Christine Correa-Henschki.