HONOLULU – The Chaminade University men's soccer team welcomed Pacific West Conference newcomer Westmont College to Saint Louis Field.
If the rest of the meetings are like the ones in Saturday's first-ever meeting between the two programs, future goalkeepers may have a difficult time sleeping.
The two teams combined for eight goals in the Silverswords' 5-3 loss, the most goals scored by Chaminade in a defeat.
Remo Merlo (Reno, Nev./Remo) had a goal and assist while
Ryan Anderson (Carlsbad, Calif./Cal State Monterey Bay/San Marcos HS) and
Owen Caba (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) also found the back of the net in the loss.
Chaminade fell to 0-9-3 and 0-5-2 in the PacWest. Westmont, a member of the NAIA until moving up to NCAA Division II this year, is 4-6-2 and 4-1 in the conference. Leonel Olivio Ortiz had three assists for the Warriors.
After the Warriors scored twice in the game's first 11 minutes, the 'Swords got on the board when Merlo found Caba for a 20-yard blast in the 31st minute. Chaminade then tied it six minutes into the second half when
Oliver Horgan (Reno, Nev./Cal Poly Humboldt/Galena HS) made a perfect touch pass to Anderson towards the near sideline. Anderson put the defender in a spin cycle then ripped a shot from 10 yards out for the equalizer.
However, Westmont scored the next three goals, putting them up, 5-2. The 'Swords cut the deficit to two in the 81st minute when Kaden Medeiros (Pukalani, Maui, Hawai'i/Western Oregon Univ./Kamehameha-Maui HS) got thrown in to Merlo, who beat a defender towards the left side of the box and fired in his first career goal, which also was the game's final margin.
Chaminade attempted 17 shots, led by Anderson's four. Eight of the 'Swords' shots were on-goal. Caba and
Paolo Colello (Normandy Park, Wash./Seattle University/Mt. Rainer HS), seeing his first action this season, both too, three shots.
Westmont had 18 shots, five on-goal.
Brandon Yasue (Honolulu/Kaiser) took the loss for the 'Swords while his counterpart, Brady Highfill, made five saves in getting the win.
The Silverswords are next in action on Monday, Oct. 30, when they host Azusa Pacific at the Saint Louis Field pitch. Kickoff is at 10 a.m.
