The Master's University men's soccer team will make the GSAC Championship Finals for the second straight year as they defeated Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (AZ) 2-0 at Reese Field in Santa Clarita, Calif. Saturday afternoon.
The Mustangs displayed a full team effort in front of a packed home crowd, recording 23 shots and 10 shots on goal while keeping Embry-Riddle to only seven shots, something TMU Head Coach Jim Rickard wanted his team to commit to.
"I think we handled the moment well." Coach Rickard said after the game. "I told them I wanted it to be 0-0 or up and then just focus on saying 'Hey, no matter what, let's just say we're 0-0 and just kind of reorganize.'"
The Mustangs took an early lead with a goal by junior forward Adiel Kaduya, who beat the Eagles' goalkeeper a minute and 12 seconds into the game.
Freshman forward and GSAC Player of the Year Trent Rickard doubled the Mustangs' lead in the second half with a low and hard shot.
But the Mustangs could have had more goals if it was not for the Embry-Riddle goalkeeper, who prevented a number of shots including a Rickard kick that rattled the crossbar.
"I thought their goalie was fantastic today." Coach Rickard said about the Eagles goalkeeper. "He made probably six, seven high level saves… He kept them in it. Sometimes that's enough to sort of turn the momentum, so I was proud of the guys to be resilient, to keep fighting and battling."
But freshman goalkeeper Julian Graham was the more fruitful netminder, recording his sixth and second straight shutout in his freshman campaign.
"Shutouts are goal number one." Coach Rickard said about the team's defensive play. "Super proud of everybody and a couple really nice finishes. That early finish from Adiel really set the tone and then Trent doing what he needed to do."
The Mustangs now wait for who they will play in the finals match. They will either compete against No. 4-seed Arizona Christian University or they will have a finals rematch against No. 1-seed Hope International, the defending GSAC Champions.
"I'm just proud of the team." Coach Rickard said. "This is the same position we were in last year so we wanna focus in on the final. The final is gonna be a challenge, regardless of who it is. So we just wanna stay in the moment."
