ST. GEORGE, Utah – Playing for the first time in 12 days, the Chaminade University men's soccer team opened Pacific West Conference action with a 1-0 loss to Dixie State Thursday at Legend Solar Stadium.
Jandir Porta scored the game's only goal, coming 11 minutes into the contest.
Dixie State, the defending PacWest champion, improved to 5-0 (1-0 PacWest) on the season while Chaminade fell to 1-3 and 0-1.
It was Chaminade's second straight one-goal loss in St. George. The 'Swords also dropped a 1-nil decision at DSU in October 2015.
The 'Swords had a prime opportunity to jump ahead first but a
Nick Kraus (Torrance, Calif./South) penalty kick towards the lower left box was deflected by Trailblazers' goalkeeper Zach Nelson less than four minutes into the game.
The Silverswords had a one final chance to knock in the equalizer but Kraus' free kick from 35 yards out following a DSU foul in the 81
st minute sailed just past
Curtis Coburn (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach) who had broken towards the net.
Bernd Buescherhoff (Steinfeld, Germany/Gymnasium Lohne) made two saves in taking the loss. Nelson got the win for the Trailblazers.
Barring any non-conference or postseason clashes, the contest was the 13
th and final meeting between the two programs. Dixie State is leaving the PacWest for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference next year.
Chaminade wraps up the road trip Saturday at Azusa Pacific.
