MORAGA, Calif. - The No. 24-ranked Santa Clara men's soccer took sole possession of first place in the West Coast Conference with a 1-0 win over Saint Mary's on Wednesday.
Joshua Dabora's goal proved to be the difference scoring in the 55th minute on a feed from Javier Ruiz Duran to help the Broncos improve to 9-1-3 on the season and 3-0-1 in conference. Saint Mary's dropped to 9-5-1 overall and 2-1-1 in league action.
On the play, Ruiz Duran slipped a pass to Dabora inside the 18 who chipped the ball over the Gaels goalkeeper Nicholas Lapinid to break the scoreless deadlock.
"What's really been good with Josh is that he's been staying in the moments where he's dangerous," said Broncos head coach Cam Rast. "When he took the shot, I thought initially it was off target but you could see it curve and he put it in such a good spot that it hit the side netting. It was well done and shows you how important it is to put shots on frame to win games."
For Dabora, it was his fifth goal of the season and the third-straight goal he has scored for the Broncos going back to the last game.
Trailing by a goal, Saint Mary's threw numbers forward chasing the equalizer but the Broncos defense was up to the task, allowing two shots and three corner kicks the rest of the game.
"We knew what Saint Mary's would bring as they play the same shape as we do," said Rast. "So it was not unfamiliar to us. Our backs did a good job where they were aggressive without being overly aggressive. They played within themselves and we got a good result out of it."
In the opening half, Saint Mary's had a couple of dangerous opportunities to get on the board.
David Brog nearly scored in the 12th minute when the senior forward caught Bronco goalkeeper Andreu Cases Mundet off his line as his shot from the center circle sailed just wide of the goal past the outstretched arms of Cases Mundet as he back tracked.
Shortly after, Ruben Stuiver came in to replace Cases Mundet who was shaken up on the play.
"When Andreu went down today, it forced the issue but Ruben stepped up," said Rast. "He was as good as I've seen him play all season. He was good at reading the ball in air, good game management, and good with his feet. I can't say enough of him on how he stepped up in a big game as he did today."
The Gaels also were not at full strength when all-conference defender Christian Engmann left the game in the first half.
In the 40th minute, Saint Mary's had another scoring opportunity when Sebastian Schacht's free kick from 19 yards was saved by a diving Stuiver who used all his six-foot-three frame to tip the ball wide.
Stuiver, a transfer from San Francisco, was credited with his first win as a Bronco making two saves in 74 minutes of action. Lapinid also had two saves in the afternoon.
NOTES:
• Santa Clara is 43-12-6 all-time against Saint Mary's. The Broncos snapped a four-match losing streak against Saint Mary's as they last beat the Gaels in 2017.
• Joshua Dabora has five goals in the last five games.
• Javier Ruiz Duran who entered the game atop the WCC in assists had his seventh of the season.
HIGHLIGHTS:
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— Santa Clara Men's Soccer (@SCUBroncoSoccer) October 27, 2021
Fifth goal of the season for Dabora who has scored the last three Bronco goals. pic.twitter.com/JoiK5vMP75
NEXT UP:
The Broncos travel to the Pacific Northwest to face Gonzaga on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
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