Rodriguez with the ball
Jeff Helsel, Cal U
1
Cal U (PA) CAL U (0-1-0, 0-0-0)
3
Winner West Va. Wesleyan WVWC (1-0-0, 0-0-0)
Cal U (PA) CAL U
(0-1-0, 0-0-0)
1
Final
3
West Va. Wesleyan WVWC
(1-0-0, 0-0-0)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Cal U (PA) CAL U 1 0 1
West Va. Wesleyan WVWC 2 1 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Trey Staunch, Assistant Sports Information Director

Vulcans fall in season-opener at WVWC, 3-1

Cal U opens year with West Virginia Wesleyan for sixth-straight time

BUCKHANNON, W.Va. (Sept. 2) – The California University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team fell by a 3-1 margin versus West Virginia Wesleyan on Thursday night at Culpepper Stadium in the season-opener for both programs.

With the loss, the Vulcans begin the campaign at 0-1 after playing the Bobcats in a non-conference match for a sixth-straight season. Meanwhile, West Virginia Wesleyan starts the season with a 1-0 record after being selected fourth in the preseason Mountain East Conference (MEC) poll.

In the first half, the Bobcats struck early and fast as just three minutes into the game, sophomore Connor Hartwell delivered a pass right to the head of midfielder Hunter Dierlam for the first goal of the contest. Less than two minutes later, it was Hartwell again as the ball hit the hand of a Cal U defender, giving the midfielder a free kick. Hartwell took advantage of the opportunity and put it into the top left corner of the net, giving the Bobcats an early 2-0 lead after just five minutes of play.

After a yellow card was distributed to a Bobcats defender, redshirt junior Diego Rodriguez (Bristol, Pa./Harry S. Truman) was awarded a penalty kick in the eighth minute. Unfortunately, the kick sailed high over the crossbar to keep the score at 2-0. With less than two minutes before halftime, junior forward Michael McAnalley (East McKeesport, Pa./East Allegheny) sent a pass across to sophomore Zach Vanek (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield), who snuck it past goalkeeper Logan Nelson.

The Bobcats benefited from another quick start in the second half, as a shot by freshman forward Fabrizio Lucia sailed wide right in the 46th minute. Less than two minutes later, senior Nika Monaselidze sent a long crossing pass into the box that found midfielder Andrew White, who found the back of the net for the final goal of the contest.

Junior Trevor Zabilowicz (Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) earned his first career start in the season-opener and posted two saves on 10 shots faced in 90 minutes of action.

West Virginia Wesleyan held a 10-7 shot advantage, as well as a 7-1 edge in corner kicks.

The Vulcans return to action on Saturday, Sept. 4, when they host Lock Haven at the Phillipsburg Soccer Facility with play starting at 5:30 p.m.
 
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