Benja Mugabi and Clinton Mawusi each scored their first goals as Mustangs, but it was the La Sierra Golden Eagles that came from behind Tuesday, Oct. 21 to defeat The Master’s University men’s soccer team 3-2 on Reese Field.

The Mustangs (5-7-2, 4-5-1) scored first and took a 1-0 lead into the locker room, but three goals within 15 minutes by the Golden Eagles were the difference in the second half.

“I told the team (before the game) that in my opinion this is probably the most offensively talented team we are playing against,” TMU Head Coach Jim Rickard said about La Sierra. “And I was preaching to them that your positioning has to be spot on because if you lose concentration even for a second you’re going to get scored upon. And I was right. We were on them in the second half though. So at the end of the day I can’t fault them for their effort because they worked hard and they gave me everything they had, so it’s hard to lose when you were in the lead in the second half.”

LSU out-shot TMU 21-11 for the game, but it was the Mustangs that had the 8-1 advantage in corner kicks.

In the 33rd minute, Mugabi took a pass from Zach Rocdriguez, found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and chipped it over his head for the first goal of his TMU career. Normally a defender, Mugabi was put into the game as a forward by Coach Rickard.

“I decided this week to give Benja a chance up top because he’s very athletic, has good speed and is strong,” Rickard said. “And then he scored a goal, so it was great.”

Just 4:08 into the second half, Vinnie Goncalves found the back of the net unassisted to tie the game at 1-1. And 14 minutes later the Golden Eagles took the lead, followed by a third goal just 32 seconds later to give what first appeared as the dagger to the Mustangs.

But less than two minutes later Mawusi bought TMU to within one when he knocked one through for his first goal off an assist from Kai Terentieff.

The final 14 minutes saw Master’s try everything they could to come away from the match with at least a point, but the La Sierra defense proved too strong.

With the loss, the Mustangs remain in fifth place in the GSAC standings, four points behind both Embry-Riddle and Park Gilbert, which are tied for third. La Sierra moves into first place.

Three games remain for The Master’s in the regular season, with the next game at home Saturday, Oct. 25 against Hope International. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

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