The Golden Eagle men’s soccer team went toe-to-toe with the No.12 nationally-ranked team in the country; the Golden Eagles defeated the Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes 3-0. Miguel Arroyo, Kevin Sanchez and Julian Svoboda all provided a goal. Ryan Smith, a junior from Chino Hills, was awarded PacWest Defender of the Week. 

Smith said, “It felt really good. But that game wasn’t just an individual effort but a team effort. The whole back line could have gotten that award. I'm just super thankful that I got recognized for all my hard work and training. But does it still come with pressure? I got called defender of the week, so now, every day and in the game, I have to perform and hold that quality/standard.”

Miguel Arroyo, a junior from Long Beach, provided some intel about how huge the win was for his team. “It felt great to start the season with a big victory because it showed the work we have been putting in. Some key factors were the team’s ability, work ethic, discipline and trusting each other,” Arroyo said, adding, “This victory will allow us to play more confidently because we showed that our team's abilities can help us beat any team.” 

Arroyo shared his mental tactics before a match. “I like to stay focused and relaxed before a game; the ritual would be to pray before kick-off,” Arroyo said. He explained that his favorite aspect of playing soccer is “developing a bond with my teammates and working together towards a shared goal.” Arroyo added, “My personal goals for the season are to be the best teammate possible for the team and score as many goals as possible.” 

Isaiah Gutierrez, a sophomore from Corona, said his mental preparation consists of  making sure “that I got a lot of sleep the night before a game, so my body can feel good, and I also like to listen to a lot of music. Reggaeton is my favorite to listen to before a game.” Gutierrez added, “The most essential quality for a successful soccer player is always having fun. Yes, the sport can get competitive, but it’s important always to have fun playing and enjoying it.”

To Gutierrez, being a good teammate leads to great team chemistry. “It’s very important to be a good teammate because it allows the team to have lots of chemistry,” he said, “A piece of advice I got from another teammate is to keep on going even though things are not going my way, just put your head down and work.” Gutierrez said his goals for this season are “to win the PacWest and make it to the National championship playoffs.”

The men play tomorrow at home versus Fresno Pacific.

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