SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Carlos Delgadillo netted one of the most exciting goals in all of soccer, bicycling-in a cross, which gave Santa Clara a second-half lead over Cal State Fullerton. However, the visiting Titans answered with a pair of goals to beat the Broncos 2-1 on Sunday.
Santa Clara (1-3-0) led with 28 minutes left thanks to Delgadillo (pictured), and seemed on track to begin its 2015 home-opening weekend with two consecutive wins.
However, Cal State Fullerton (2-2-0) immediately countered when Diego Sanchez got in behind SCU's defense to tie the game. In the late stages, it was Ruben Alvarez knocking home what would be the game-winner on a nice crossing feed from Brandon West.
"We are disappointed in the result," said SCU head coach Cameron Rast. "It was a game we did enough to get up, to put ourselves in position to win, and let it slip away - which is unacceptable in the end."
Santa Clara controlled much of the action in the first half – especially in the opening 15 minutes. The Broncos got off a flurry of shots, including one by Friday night's overtime hero, Keanu Mendoza which hit the post.
"We are having a tendency, when we get up in the game or feel pressure, to defend way to too deep. We are just not concentrating on what we need to do and that has allowed goals to leak in."
The Broncos nearly evened it up in the closing moments when a header by Parker Holland went just wide.
Santa Clara - in the midst of a seven-game homestand at its recently renovated Stevens Stadium - defeated Wisconsin 2-1 in overtime Friday night. Next weekend, the Broncos will be hosting Seattle Friday, Sept. 11 and Cal Poly Sunday, Sept. 13. Both matches are doubleheaders with the SCU women and are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.