Men's Soccer Can't Get a Break in Season Opener

It was all routine at the start, until it wasn't.
 
Just 1:20 into the match, a Fresno Pacific shot went off a Master's defender. The Sunbirds' Antonioangel Lepe was able to collect the loose ball inside the box and fire it into the back of the net. 
 
That was all Fresno Pacific needed as the Sunbirds defeated The Master's 1-0 Thursday in the opening match of the men's soccer season in Fresno.
 
The Mustangs didn't get many chances to tie the game, being outshot 19-5 by the NCAA Division 2 Sunbirds with only one of TMU's shots being on goal.
 
"We had a better second half possessing the ball and had better chances to score," Head Coach Jim Rickard said. "We had some free kicks and corners that got inside the box and were dangerous. Any one thing, a bounce here or there, could have changed it."
 
Rickard added that both Prince Chingancheke and Giorgio Martino had "golden opportunities" with shots that went wide. Kian Bensend was also noted as having a strong game as the goalkeeper, collecting seven saves.
 
And while FPU dominated the possessions and the tempo, Rickard knew that getting just one break would put the Mustangs right back in the game.
 
"Regardless of how the play was going, I thought we could earn a tie," Rickard said. "I see improvement and we are going in the right direction. We will have to put this behind us since we play on Saturday."
 
The Master's schedule has them playing on the road in their first three matches of the season, with Saturday's contest being against the University of Antelope Valley in Lancaster, Calif. Kickoff is at 11 a.m.