The Bakersfield College men’s soccer team was scheduled to play April 12 on the road in Lancaster against Antelope Valley College, but the match was canceled due to technicalities with the field.
With an extra day of rest, the Renegades were ready to play on April 13 during their last home game against Loyola Marymount.
The Renegades won the game by a score of 3-0. The entire first half was a back and forth battle from the beginning with the Renegades up 1-0 early after an early goal from Ernesto Prado. The Renegades showed a great defensive effort keeping shorthanded Loyola Marymount from gaining any offensive momentum.
“I don’t want to say we played a great full game of 90 minutes, but we played a full game of 90 minutes, compared to playing only a good first half or a good second half like we have been in the other two games,” said coach Finch, referring to the two losses the Renegades suffered against UCLA and CSU Northridge.
The Renegades struggled to keep CSU Northridge from scoring a couple of weeks ago during their 1-8 loss, but they looked like a completely different team against Loyola Marymount pushing the ball more aggressively forcing LM to play a lot of defense.
In the second half, BC took complete control and dominated the entire half, pounding the ball towards LM’s side and getting plenty of opportunities to score. BC did just that with about eight minutes into the second half when Raul Carillo scored and put BC up 2-0.
After the Carillo score BC wouldn’t let go of the gas pedal as the Renegades continued displaying an all-around solid effort.
“If we play a good solid 90 minutes, usually the result will be in our favor,” said Finch.
Prado scored the last goal to seal the win for the Renegades.
“I had to do my job and they gave me the ball and my job is to score and that’s what I did today,” Prado said. “We were on a two game losing streak and having this win was very important to us, now we are 2-2 and we have one more game, hopefully we win that game.”
The Renegades will finish the season with a game against Antelope Valley College at a time and place that has yet to be determined.
The Renegades are 2-2 on the standings with six points and sitting third in the West Coast Soccer Association Central Division.