Reyes’ Timing Perfect in CSUN Soccer Win

It took Bobby Reyes of Cal State Northridge a while to score his first goal of the season, but he couldn’t have picked a more opportune time.

Reyes, a sophomore forward from Culver City High, scored at the 10:19 mark of the first 15-minute overtime period Saturday night to give the Matadors a 2-1 victory over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in a California Collegiate Athletic Assn. opener at North Campus Stadium.

Reyes’ goal was set up by teammate Jim Hall, who stole the ball in front of the Northridge goal and fed the streaking Reyes with a pass 10 yards past midfield.

Reyes took the pass, fought off Mustang defenseman Jim Murphy, then fired a shot that hit San Luis Obispo goalie Harry Crouch in the left calf before the ball bounced between his legs and into the net.

The victory snapped a two-match Northridge losing streak and improved the Matador record to 4-2-2.

The loss was the first of the season for San Luis Obispo (4-1-3, 1-1 in conference play), which entered the match as the eighth-ranked team in the NCAA Division II.

Northridge was ranked 11th.

The Matadors, who outshot the Mustangs, 17-16 in regulation, had a golden opportunity to break a 1-1 tie at the 73:40 mark, but Crouch deflected Scott Piri’s 15-yard penalty kick and Grant Landy then cleared the ball from the front of the goal mouth.

Piri, the Matadors’ leading scorer last season, was set up for the penalty kick by John Zielinski, who was called for a foul. Piri had Crouch, a 6-4, 200-pound junior, moving to his left on the shot, but the goalie was able to reach back to his right to deflect the shot.

Northridge outshot the Mustangs, 11-8, in the first half, but the Matadors looked ragged for the first 30 minutes, frequently missing open men with passes and having defensive breakdowns.

Trailing, 1-0, Northridge tied the score at the 32:52 mark when Keith Martin surprised the Mustangs’ defense with a quick corner kick that Jim Hofferber headed into the net for his fourth goal.

San Luis Obispo wasted little time in scoring its first goal as Todd Henry headed in a lob from Zielinski at the 3:38 mark.

The Mustangs had a chance to score shortly before halftime but failed to convert three shots in front of a congested Northridge goal.