Ethan Ndachi (@EthanNdachi) – Content editor | Junior Gilberto Rivera, sophomore Daniel Fregoso Bautista, and senior Angel Iniguez embrace after CBU game on Nov. 12 (Photo by Nathaniel Solomon – Freelance photographer)
San Jose State men’s soccer punched their ticket to the Western Athletic Conference final last time out against the tournament hosts and regular-season champions, California Baptist in an emphatic fashion.
Now, they look to win their first conference championship since 2003 against Grand Canyon University, who will want their first WAC since 2018.
Having made it all the way to the final last season but coming up short against Seattle University, the team expects things to be different this time around.
“Maybe we could argue last year we were a bit young in terms of experience,” associate head coach Jesus Sanchez said. “But that process helped us hopefully arrive in a better situation.”
Both teams took the hard way to the final, no byes for the Spartans or Antelopes, they started on Saturday, Nov. 9 and will finish their journey the following weekend.
“I think we are confident in ourselves and I think we’ve done everything we can to get up to this point. Now it’s just go out there and play the last 90 minutes.” Senior midfielder Angel Iniguez said.
GCU this season is 12-3-4, and will provide a proper test for SJSU in Riverside.
The finalists met in conference play on Oct. 19, drawing 1-1 at GCU stadium thanks to a 70th-minute header from senior defender Javier Lopez.
“The game at Grand Canyon they got to know what we’re all about,” SJSU head coach Simon Tobin said. I thought we played really well.”
SJSU had 13 shots on goal with four hitting the target, while GCU only earned 10 with four on target.
Missed chances seemed to be the difference in Arizona, the Spartans couldn’t be clinical enough to grab all three points, with Tobin stating that GCU would have been happy to leave with the tie.
In the final, SJSU will need to make no mistake when in front of goal if they want the win.
“GCU is a really good defensive team,” Sanchez said. “I think it’s important that we can take an early lead, or that we score first because they have dynamic players up top that can score from very little.”
GCU have scored 39 goals this season, and only conceded 14. SJSU scored 37 goals heading into the final, and conceded 19.
Antelopes freshman striker Junior Diouf has a WAC-topping 16 goals, with six assists and earned a place in the All-WAC freshman team this season for his campaign.
“They have a special talent up top,” Tobin said. “He’s a match-winner.”
Spartan sophomore striker Arnold Matshazi has 12 goals and one assist, which ranks just behind Diouf, and will look to go head-to-head with his Senegalese competition on Saturday. The Englishman himself is credited with six match-winning goals so far this season.
“It’s a good matchup of two number nines that have been very clinical,” Sanchez said. “It gives Arnold the edge and that extra motivation to put the ball in the back of the net.”
Strikers aren’t the only big game players to watch out for in this contest.
Iniguez also ranks fourth on the WAC top goalscorers with nine goals, and is tied fourth for assists with six along with Diouf.
SJSU’s junior midfielder Gilberto Rivera ranks second on assists with seven this season, and will look to potentially climb to first on Saturday with another.
GCU’s graduate student forward Ben Assane also ranks joint-fourth in the WAC top assists, linking up well with his countryman Diouf.
GCU clearly has a capable squad of bringing the WAC back to Arizona, and the Spartans’ defense will have to remain disciplined to keep the Antelopes out of the net.
“I think especially Javi did a great job with him [Diouf] last time, so I think that back four and sixes are going to have a little bit extra focus on him,” captain and senior defender Niklas Dossmann said.
There will be no shortage of player quality in this match for either side, the result and championship will ultimately come down to who wants it more.
“We know we’re the best team and we know we can win if we play our best,” Dossmann said.
Tobin has built this group that has made it to yet another final in back-to-back seasons and three finals in four seasons. SJSU’s 13th appearance in the tournament this year also sets a new record for appearances.
“This is a special team,” Tobin said. “In my 12 years, this is the most talented group I’ve had.”
Tobin praises not only high level player quality, but elite mentality between the boys. Team culture is essential, and he believes that will be the difference maker in the final.
“They [SJSU fans] should be proud of this group from what they achieve,” Tobin said. “This year we want to bring back a trophy for them.”
SJSU looks to capture the coveted WAC championship against GCU at 1 p.m. Saturday Nov. 15, in Riverside, Calif.
