FRESNO, Calif. – The Chaminade University men's soccer team faced their biggest challenge of the young season Thursday.
Opening Pacific West Conference play in their first Mainland trip of the year, the Silverswords hung tough against Fresno Pacific, the squad picked to finish as the conference champions, but fell, 2-0, at Ramirez Field.
PacWest Preseason Player of the Year Jorge Chedraui scored two goals, both coming in the second half, to lift the Sunbirds (2-2-1, 1-0 PacWest).
The 'Swords fell to 0-3 on the season and 0-1 in the PacWest.
Oddly enough, in all three losses, the Silverswords have surrendered multiple goals to the same player, all coming in the second half.
After 70 scoreless minutes FPU's Joey Belzil, who touched up Chaminade for a hat trick in last year's meeting in Honolulu, fired a shot to 'Swords goalkeeper
Bernd Buescherhoff who made the save. However the deflection caromed to Chedraui who punched the ball through for the game-winner.
Chedraui added his second score less than five minutes later with a header off a free kick that got past reserve keeper
Hunter Mullican.
Despite being out-shot 22-6, the 'Swords still managed to hang around, thanks in part to Buescherhoff's career-high 12 saves. Matias Fernandez stopped two shots to preserve the win for the Sunbirds.
Guilherme Aires and
Jeron Cunningham each had one shot on goal for Chaminade.
The 'Swords continue their road trip Saturday when they face Holy Names.
