Aug. 31, 2008
Contact: Brian McCann
IRVINE, Calif. - Cleveland State allowed just one goal, that coming early in the second half, but the Viking offense was kept off the scoreboard as CSU fell to Seattle, 1-0, in an opening round game of the UCI College Classic.
The loss came in the season opener for both teams.
"We did everything right tonight except score a goal," CSU head coach Ali Kazemaini said. "We played well defensively and created several very good scoring opportunities, but in the end, we didn't put one in the goal."
After a scoreless first half, Seattle opened the scoring at the 54:35 mark when Marshall Kosaka took a throw in from Luis Gamez inside the box and slipped a shot past Viking goalie Nick Harpel and into the corner of the goal.
"Our defense let up for a second and they caught us with a quick throw in," Kazemaini said. "Once they got the ball to the open man, we didn't have any time to recover."
Cleveland State had a pair of really good scoring opportunities, including one just moments after the Seattle goal.
In the 58h minute, Viking freshman Stephen Beyer broke away from the Seattle defense and in on goalie Emerson DeOliveira, but his shot was just wide of the far post.
"That was just hard luck. He did everything right but he just missed the corner," Kazemaini said.
DeOliveira made five saves in recording the shutout while Harpel made three saves in a losing effort.
Cleveland State concludes play in the tourney on Monday (Sept. 1) with a 2:00 p.m. PDT match against host UC Irvine.
