SMC Men’s Soccer Tested in First Draw of the Season
The Santa Monica College men’s soccer team drew 1-1 with El Camino College on Friday, after the Warriors scored a late equalizer in the second half, forcing the draw and ending the Corsairs three-game winning streak. This physical game came down to the final minute as SMC’s defense committed a foul on their side of the field, awarding the Warriors a free kick outside the keepers box, which ultimately led the Warriors to score, saving themselves from the loss.
The Corsairs had yet to be tested as they have won their last three games, scoring a total of 13 goals while allowing none to enter their own net. Head Coach Tim Pierce said he knew this would be a battle ahead of their matchup against El Camino, describing the Warriors as a well coached and organized program.
“This will be a tough test to what we’ve seen so far,” Pierce said. He mentioned how the defense has yet to be tested, highlighting that their best defense has been a good offense.
Both teams played a physical first half, with four yellow cards issued, one to the Warriors, and three to the Corsairs. The first half kicked off with the Warriors controlling possession, and around the 10th minute, defender Kristian Villalobos for the Warriors had a close shot on target that was saved by goalkeeper Greg Georgantallis.
Throughout the first half and entire game, Georgantallis was the vocal leader of the team, directing his defense with his voice. “The main reason I talk so much is because the whole game is in front of me. As the goalie it is my responsibility due to my position,” he said.
The Corsairs began to bounce back and maintained possession on the Warriors side of the field after they made their first substitutions, bringing in Noah Jahannes, Kriss Gonzales and Sean Banshak. Gonzales came in and contributed to Santa Monica’s attack with his quickness and control of the ball. Banshak had a shot attempt that came off the crossbar.
Midfielder Angel Diaz ultimately forced a major defensive mishap that led to Jahannes finding himself with an opportunity to score, putting the Corsairs up 1-0 at the 40th minute. “It all happened really fast… I was able to execute my job by coming in and being an impact player,” Jahannes said after the game. He gave his team the cushion of being ahead by a goal, and the first half ended 1-0, Corsairs leading. Gonzales was later removed from the game with an ankle injury and taken off the field in a stretcher.
El Camino applied pressure early on Santa Monica’s defense in the second half. The rest of the half continued to be physical, adding three more yellow cards for the Warriors, along with multiple fouls called on both teams. The Corsairs responded by regaining control of possession for almost all of the second half.
Georgantallis had three saves and the offense kept the ball on the Warriors half of the field. They gave themselves multiple opportunities to score with four corner kicks awarded to them, in contrast to the first half where there were none.
As the game reached its final moments, the Corsairs gave up a free kick to the Warriors after a late game mistake, setting them up to score. The ball was placed into the “danger zone” of the keepers box, with the Warriors crossing in from the free kick. Before the defense could clear it, the ball hit the back of the net. With two minutes left, the Warriors scored to tie the game up 1-1.
The game ended with a draw, with the referees deciding on no extra time and no penalties. After the match, Georgantallis couldn’t hide his disappointment. “We were put in a bad position and were not matched up well,” Georgantallis said. After being up for the entirety of the game, SMC’s defense had slipped up at the final moment.
“The main thing put on the board, we haven’t been battle tested,” Pierce said. The Corsairs will play their first road game of the season on Thursday, Sept. 10, starting at 3 p.m. at Palomar College.