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Team can’t overcome three early Husky goals, lose 4-2 

Following an emotional victory over highly-ranked Indiana last weekend, one could expect the Cal men’s soccer team to have a slight letdown. But no one could have expected the Bears (6-12-1, 2-4-1 Pac-10) to give up three easy first-half goals to the No. 21 Washington Huskies. 

But the Bears did just that, and a surge of energy in the second half couldn’ bring them back. Although they scored two goals to pull within 3-2 with 15 minutes left in the game, Washington’s Kai Carroll sealed his team’s victory with his second goal of the match in the 80th minute, making the score 4-2 and sending the Bears to their 12th defeat of the season. 

The visiting Huskies (13-5, 7-1) outshot Cal 15-8 in the game, and were never really threatened until after the intermission. Forward John Sagare kicked off the scoring with a goal in the 30th minute from an assist by Carroll. Sagare spent the rest of the half setting up his teammates for scoring opportunities, and midfielder Mark Hogenhout and Carroll took advantage of his generosity in the 36th and 40th minutes, respectively. Cal goalkeeper Brian Walker was the most active player on the field for the Bears, but he had little chance of stopping any of the scores. 

The Bears managed just one weak shot on goal in the half. 

“The first half was obviously disappointing for us,” Cal head coach Kevin Grimes said. “We just came out flat after that big win against Indiana.” 

Grimes gave his team a tounge-lashing during the break. 

“I told them they looked like the Cal of six weeks ago, not the team that’s been playing so well lately,” he said. “They got outbattled and outcompeted for the entire half.” 

The Bears came out of the locker room with more fire, and were rewarded when a rebound came off Husky goalkeeper Chad Olsen right to midfielder Omar Gusmao, who slammed the ball into the back of the net from 20 yards out. Forward Austin Ripmaster was credited with an assist on the goal. 

Grimes’ team continued to press forward, and the Huskies seemed to get a little rattled following Gusmao’s strike. They started using the Bears’ first-half tactic of clearing the ball from the back and hoping their forwards could create something by themselves. The Bears repelled the attacks and repeatedly sent the ball sailing back into the Washington side of the field. 

Cal forward Kendall Simmonds was struggling for the ball when he was clearly pulled down in the penalty box, and the referee pointed at the penalty spot. Cal midfielder Ramiro Arredondo sent Olsen the wrong way, scoring easily and pulling the Bears tantalizingly close at 3-2. But several more frantic attacks were beaten down by the Husky defense, and Olsen was solid coming out on long balls meant for Ripmaster and Simmonds. When Carroll scored his goal on a quick counterattack, there was no doubt which team would win the match. 

The Bears will wrap up their season on Sunday when they head to UCLA, whom they beat 1-0 earlier this year. Grimes said his team needs to have the energy they showed in the second half if they expect to sweep the Bruins. 

“We need to play like that for 90 minutes if we expect to be competitive with UCLA.”