SJSU junior forward Diogo Baptista flails after a collision with a Stanford defender in 2-1 loss to Stanford on August 22 at Maloney Field at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium in Palo Alto, Calif. l Photo by Christian Vieyra
By Christian Vieyra (@thecvieyra)
San Jose State men’s soccer (0-1-0) was dominated by No. 5 Stanford (1-0-0) in nearly every stat-line except the final score in its season opener.
The Spartans suffered a 2-1 loss Thursday after not being able to do much offensively against a formidable Cardinal defense at Maloney Field at Laird Q. Cagan Stadium in Palo Alto, Calif.
Stanford out shot SJSU in the first half 11-0, yet the Cardinals only led 1-0 at the half.
Stanford senior midfielder Will Reilly shot a penalty kick that was blocked by SJSU junior goalkeeper Edgar Guerra, but Reilly would immediately put the ball back into the center of the goal after Guerra had fallen for the save in the 12th minute.
The next goal in the match was Stanford’s by way of an SJSU own goal.
Cardinal junior midfielder Zach Bohane shot a free kick and Spartan junior forward Diogo Baptista mistimed his jump causing the ball to sneak into the top right corner in the 54th minute extending Stanford’s lead 2-0.
Baptista would avenge his mistake, scoring a goal in the 79th minute off an assist by SJSU junior midfielder Angel Iniguez.
Guerra finished the night with six total saves and only one goal allowed.
SJSU was outshot 16-3 throughout the entire match. The three Spartans to record a shot were Baptista, freshman forward Jordi Tortell Daly and freshman forward Daniel Fregoso Bautista, with Baptista and Bautista’s shots being the only shots on goal.
The game was a bit chippy, with the Spartans recording 14 fouls and the Cardinals having 12.
Early on in the match the referee had to intervene multiple times as some aggressive shoves occurred between the South Bay rivals while fighting for position.
SJSU will get ready for the 2024 season-home opener with the hopes to even out its record against CSU Bakersfield. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday at the Spartan Soccer Complex.
