STOCKTON, Calif. – Saint Mary's hit the road for their 2024 season finale to take on Pacific, riding a three-game win streak over the Tigers dating back to 2021. That streak would come to an end though Saturday night as Pacific came away with the 3-1 victory on senior night. The Gaels offense would come alive in the second half with 13 shots and a goal from freshman midfielder
Cesar Batres in the 65th minute. Pacific would do enough though to hang on for the win as their keeper finished with a game high six saves.
FIRST HALF SMC 0-2 PAC
Both teams would take the first ten minutes to settle into the game as there were only two shots combined during that stretch. Pacific would strike first in the 17th minute off a cross from the left side and then less than two minutes later they would double their lead with a header goal in the 19th minute.
Head coach
Adam Cooper would turn to his bench after the two quick strikes from Pacific and get some nice energy and production from forwards
Tyler Hardin and
Owen Benson. Hardin was full of life and involved in several attacks for the Gaels late in the first half. Benson was also very dangerous off the dribble, driving at the Tigers backline on several occasions.
In the 36th minute,
Toke Amtrup and
Cesar Batres would combine nicely in the midfield to breakdown Pacific's defense and find the feet of Benson with room to run. Benson drove at the backline and rifled a shot that swerved just right of the frame for their best chance of the half.
In the final minute of the first half, the Gaels would inch closer with a shot rattling the cross bar off the foot of Amtrup from a corner kick. Just seconds later, after a failed clearance, senior defender
Jackson Fyda would send a ball back into the box and have it fall to
Koren Klein. Klein let a shot go as time expired from inside the box but had it sail above the bar. The pressure had started to ramp up for the Gaels as they entered the half down 2-0 but with time to play.
FINAL SMC 1-3 PAC
The energy really picked up from both sides in the opening ten minutes of the second half with both teams combining for eight shots during that span. Once again though, Pacific would come away with the goal after a flurry of chances in the 59th minute.
Sam Bentley made a great reaction save on his near post to give the Tigers a corner kick but they would score on the very next play to give them a 3-1 lead.
Tyler Hardin and
Koren Klein would come back into the match shortly after the goal and less than ten minutes later, Saint Mary's would get rewarded for their energy with a goal from freshman midfielder
Cesar Batres, his second of the season. The goal started with a nice 1-2 between
Justin Sosa and
Cesar Batres just outside the penalty box.
Wade Muttitt would then get on the ball and hand it off to Klein at the top of the box, who then put Batres in on goal. Muttitt and Klein would get credit for the assists, the second of the season for Muttitt and first for Klein.
The Gaels would dominate the remainder of the game, outshooting the Tigers 13-7 in the second half and forcing five saves from Pacific's keeper. Muttitt, Klein and
Luke Lawrence would all fire dangerous shots on frame as the pressure seemed relentless over the final 15 minutes of regulation.
The three-goal deficit would prove too much to overcome though as Pacific held off wave after wave of pressure to record the 3-1 victory on Senior Day.
Justin Sosa led the team with four shots and was very dangerous in his 54 minutes of action.
Fynn Allmon,
Luke Lawrence and
Cesar Batres played all 90 minutes for the Gaels and redshirt freshman
Jamal Marseille earned his second start of the season.
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's concludes their 2024 season with an overall record of 2-9-6 and a 1-4-3 WCC record good for 8th place. Full season stats can be found at smcgaels.com and all-conference awards will be announced next week.
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