Notre Dame de Namur University

Men's Soccer

Argos Historical Season Ends in NCAA Tournament

November 14 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team saw their historic 2008 season come to an end as #9 CSU Dominguez Hills won the NCAA Division II Far West Region opener 3-0. Senior forward Kyle Holland netted a hat trick for the Toros to account for all the games scoring.

The Argos battled hard for the opening 20 minutes, using solid defense to keep the No. 1 seeded Toros from scoring. However, after junior sweeper Oswaldo Hernandez left the game, CSUDH capitalized. In the 23rd minute, Brian Alvarez played a ball into the box that was nicked by Holland and managed to find its way past goalie Sheldon Steenhuis.

NDNU nearly answered two minutes later when Sean Vogt’s header was stopped on a diving save by goalie Miguel Benitez. The Toros continued to control the rest of the first as they outshot the Argos 10-2 in the period.

The second half started out the same way for NDNU as CSU Dominguez Hills continued to press offensively. Goalkeeper David Meherg made a few diving saves for the Argos early in the half to keep the game within one. However, in the 63rd minute after a failed clear, Holland struck again.

Holland fielded the ball at the top of the box with a wide lane to shoot and place into the lower right hand side of the net. In the 72nd minute, Holland finished off his hat trick when he bent a free kick from 20 yards over the wall and into the upper right hand corner.

For the game, the Argos were outshot 22-6 including 9-2 disadvantage in shots. Steenhuis and Meherg combined to make five saves for NDNU while Benitez recorded the shutout with a pair of stops.

The Argos finish off the year with a 14-4-3 record and currently rank #25 in the national poll. BOX SCORE

Two Argonauts Earn All-Region Honors

November 11 – The 2008 Daktronics Division II Men's Soccer All-West Region team was announced on Tuesday with two Argonauts receiving recognition for their excellent seasons. Freshman forward Cristobal Montes was chosen to the First Team while junior sweeper Oswaldo Hernandez earned Second Team honors.

Montes (Fremont, CA) leads the Pacific West Conference in goals with 14 and points with 33 while also ranking second in assists with five. He ranks first in the West Region in game-winning goals with seven and his points and goal totals rank fourth.

Montes has turned it on as of late, scoring seven goals over the team’s final six games. He is also riding a six game point streak and has recorded at least one point in 16 of 20 games this season. Montes was named PacWest Player of the Week on October 27th and on November 11th and made the Weekly Honor Roll five other times. He was the only freshman selected to either All-West Region Team.

Hernandez (Shafter, CA) has been the anchor on defense for the Argonauts this season. He has started 17 games as a sweeper and is one of the key components for a NDNU defense that ranks sixth nationally in goals against average (0.62) and third in shutouts with 12.

With Hernandez on the field, the Argos have only allowed eleven goals this season. He scored two goals on the year and was named to the PacWest Weekly Honor on November 11th.

Montes and Hernandez become the first two men’s soccer players in school history to earn Division II All-Region honors.

The Argos also moved up to #25 in the NSCAA/adidas National Rankings this week. This marks the first time in the program’s history that NDNU cracked the Top-25 poll.

NDNU will face #9 CSU Dominguez Hills on Thursday evening at 7:00 pm in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Argos Move into National Rankings

November 11 – For the first time in school history, the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team moved into the NSCAA/adidas Top-25 National Rankings. The Argos capped off their regular season with a 14-3-3 overall record and will travel to Carson to play in the West Region Tournament.

NDNU has been receiving votes in the poll for the past several weeks, but finally moved into the #25 spot after clinching Pacific West Conference crown last week. The Argos went 9-1-2 in league play and are 13-1-2 overall in their past 16 games.

The Argonauts will face #9 CSU Dominguez Hills on Thursday evening at 7:00 pm in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. COMPLETE NATIONAL RANKINGS

Argos Earn NCAA Tournament Berth

November 10 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team set school history by making it to the NCAA Tournament in their first year of eligibility in their transition back to the Division II level. The Argos finished the year with a 14-3-3 record and won the Pacific West Conference crown with a 9-1-2 record in league play.

NDNU earned the No. 4 seed in the West Region and will head down to Southern California to take on No. 1 seed Dominguez Hills on Thursday night at 7:00 pm. This will be the first meeting between the two schools in the history of the soccer program.

The Argos head the Regional with a 13-1-2 record in their final 16 games while the Toros currently rank fourth in the nation with a 16-2-4 record. The Toros have been to four straight NCAA Tournaments with their best finish coming in 2005 when they reached the quarterfinals.

“We are extremely excited about participating in the NCAA Tournament. The fact that it is our first year being eligible makes it a great accomplishment.” Coach Lance Thompson said. “We know that we have a tough matchup ahead with CSU Dominguez Hills. They have a great history and we are looking forward to the challenge.”

Sonoma State (No. 2 seed) and Cal State L.A (No. 3 seed) will square off in the first game on Thursday at 4:00 pm with the winners of the two games playing for the Regional Championship on Saturday at 1:00 pm. All the games will be played at Toro Stadium, on the Track and Field Facility at the Home Depot Center. FULL BRACKET

Argos Clinch PacWest Title, Blank BYU Hawaii 3-0

November 7 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team clinched the Pacific West Conference Championship with a 3-0 victory over BYU Hawaii. The Argos finished the conference schedule with a 9-1-2 record and outscored their opponents 35-5.

NDNU got off to a slow start as the game moved to halftime in a scoreless tie. After recording just three shots in the first, the Argonaut offense got going in the second with eleven shots.

Cristobal Montes got NDNU on the board in the 53rd minute when he headed in a crossing pass for his conference leading 14th goal of the season. Nathan Carlson gave the Argos a two goal cushion in the 66th minute after scoring on a feed from Russell McCluskey.

Oswaldo Hernandez added the final tally when he converted a penalty kick in the 81st minute. Sheldon Steenhuis and David Meherg combined for their 12th shutout of the season with two saves while Doug Hansen and Micah Swain made four stops for BYU Hawaii.

This is the second time the Argonauts have won the PacWest after sharing the conference title in 2006 with Grand Canyon.

The Argos will await word on their postseason fate on Monday night when the NCAA Selections Show gets underway at 4:00 pm. NDNU is currently ranked fourth in the West Region. BOX SCORE

Argos Rout Chaminade, Set NCAA Record

November 5 – Seven different Argonauts scored as the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team handled Chaminade 7-0. The Argos also set a NCAA Division II record with three goals in a 2:10 second span late in the first half.

The Argos got on the board in the 11th minute when Luis Astorga scored on a ball from Nathan Carlson. PacWest leading scorer Cristobal Montes put NDNU up by two in the 21st minute with his 13th goal of the season.

After Gabe Ortiz scored an unassisted goal in the 33rd minute, the Argos made history. Edgar Gomez got it started with his first career goal when he scored at 40:40 on assists from Arturo Gomez and Carlson. Jacob Zavala scored the next goal at 42:11 when he took a pass from Gomez. Joe Simonton then gave NDNU the record by one second when he put the ball in the net at 42:50.

The previous record for three consecutive goals by one team was held by Montavallo who scored three times in 2:11 against Ouachita Baptist in 2005.

The Argos took the 6-0 lead into the break and added one more in the second when Christian Rosales tallied his third goal of the season.

NDNU racked up 13 shots in each half as they held a 26-5 shot advantage for the game. The Argos moved to 8-1-2 in the PacWest and can clinch the conference title with a victory against BYU Hawaii on Friday. BOX SCORE

Pair of Penalty Kicks Lead Argos Past Hawaii Hilo

November 3 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team regained first place in the Pacific West Conference with a very important 2-1 victory over Hawaii Hilo. The Argos used a pair of penalty kicks, one each by Oswaldo Hernandez and Cristobal Montes to move to 7-1-2 in conference play.

The first half was controlled by NDNU for much of the way, but it was the Vulcans who got on the board first. Hilo scored the games first goal in the 13th minute when Tim Glick found Drew Geis for a 1-0 lead. The Argos knotted the game at 1-1 in the 39th minute when Hernandez connected on a penalty kick.

In the second, each team managed five shots with the Argos scoring the only goal. Montes scored his conference leading 12th goal in the 55th minute on a penalty kick to give NDNU a lead that they would not give up.

The game was very physical throughout as the two teams combined for six cards and 48 fouls. Hawaii Hilo was on the high side of each of those numbers with five cards and 28 fouls.

The Argos moved one point ahead of Hawaii Pacific for first place in the conference with each team having two games left on their schedules. NDNU controls their own destiny as they finish the season with games against Chaminade and BYU Hawaii while HPU will face Grand Canyon and Dixie State.

NDNU also remained fourth in the regional polls behind CSU Dominguez Hills, Sonoma State and Cal State L.A. The top four teams in the region will go on to post season play. BOX SCORE

Argos Battle Back, Tie Hawaii Pacific

November 1 – After falling behind by two goals in the first half, the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team battled back to force a tie with conference rival Hawaii Pacific. The Argos moved to 6-1-2 in PacWest play with the 2-2 stalemate and remain one point behind the Sea Warriors in the conference standings. HPU has two games remaining while NDNU has three.

The Argos struggled in the first half as the Sea Warriors scored off of a pair of free kicks. First, in the 24th minute Andre Whitt sent a ball into the box that was put home by Chance Bukoski. The goal ended NDNU goalie Sheldon Steenhuis’s scoreless minute streak at 449 minutes.

In the 35th minute, Linus Ekden bent a free kick from just outside the box into the net for a 2-0 HPU lead.

The Argos bounced back in the second half, holding a 4-1 shot advantage and working their way back into the game. After a yellow card to a Sea Warrior player, Mark Bennett cut the deficit in half with a goal in the 68th minute on a pass from Cristobal Montes.

Bennett struck again in the 71st minute when he took a long pass from Russell McCluskey and beat Matt Terry.

NDNU had a few scoring chances over the final 40 minutes, but could not get the game winner. David Meherg recorded 65 scoreless minutes in relief of Steenhuis while Terry made two saves for HPU.

The Argos return to action Monday afternoon against Hawaii Hilo. BOX SCORE

Argos Prevail 2-0 over San Francisco State

October 29 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team improved to 11-3-2 on the season with a 2-0 victory over San Francisco State. The Argos used a pair of goals by Cristobal Montes to defeat their fifth CCAA opponent of the season.

NDNU held a 17-8 shot advantage for the game, including a 10-4 margin in the second half. Neither team could get the offense going in the first as the Argos just missed a pair of goals on shots by Oswaldo Hernandez and Arturo Gomez that bounced off the frame.

In the second half, the Argos got it going as Montes provided the lead with a goal in the 57th minute. Jacob Zavala sent s pass through the defense that Montes ripped over the charging goalie for a 1-0 lead. In the 88th minute, Zavala would once again find Montes who beat the keeper to the ball and found the back of the net.

Montes extended his conference leading goal total to 11 and has scored four times in the last two games. Sheldon Steenhuis and David Meherg combined for their 10th shutout of the season with three combine saves while Israel Cisneros made six for the Gators.

The Argos end the season with a four game road trip to Hawaii and currently sit half a game ahead of Grand Canyon for first in the PacWest. BOX SCORE

Argos Remain Fourth in Region,
Montes Named Player of the Week

October 28 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team held their ground in the NCAA polls, remaining fourth in the West Region and 27th in the National Rankings. The Argos went 1-1 last week with a 2-1 loss in double overtime to conference rival Grand Canyon before regaining first place in the PacWest with a 3-0 victory over Dixie State.

Freshman forward Cristobal Montes also received recognition as he was named PacWest Player of the Week. Montes scored the first two goals in Saturday’s win over Dixie State and currently leads the conference in goals (9) and points (22).

In addition to Montes, goalie Sheldon Steenhuis was named to the PacWest Honor Roll after making two saves in 90 minutes of scoreless action last week. Steehnuis earned the win against Dixie State and has now gone 426 minutes without allowing a goal.

Steenhuis currently ranks seventh in the country in goals against average at 0.58 and 12th in save percentage at 0.839. In addition, NDNU ranks fourth as a team in shutout percentage (0.60) and ninth in goals against (0.63).

For the season, the Argos have compiled a 10-3-2 record with five games remaining. San Francisco State comes to Koret Field on Wednesday before NDNU ends the regular season with a four game Hawaii road trip.

The Argos also control their own destiny for the PacWest crown as they sit atop the conference with a 6-1-1 record. Grand Canyon is half a game back at 5-1-2 and also ends the season with four games in Hawaii.

Argos Blank Dixie State 3-0

October 25 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team bounced back from their first conference loss on Thursday with a 3-0 victory over Dixie State. The win moved the Argos back into first place in the PacWest with just four games remaining.

The Argos controlled the game from the start, holding a 9-1 shot advantage in the first half and 17-7 for the game. Freshman Cristobal Montes added to his conference leading goal total with a pair of scores while fellow freshman Christian Rosales added the third and final goal.

Montes got the scoring started for NDNU in the 30th minute when he dribbled down the baseline and slipped a shot past goalie Ben Brooksby. He would add his second of the game, ninth of the season ten minutes later when he took a feed from Luis Astorga and hooked it around the goalie from 22 yards out.

Rosales pushed the margin to 3-0 in the 63rd minute when the Argonauts worked a play off a corner kick. Carlos Lopez pushed a shot pass out to Dorian Virrueta who then sent a cross to the back post where Rosales finished it off.

Sheldon Steenhuis and David Meherg combined for their ninth shutout of the season with five total saves while Brooksby and Francisco Martinez made five stops for Dixie State.

The Argos moved a half again ahead of Grand Canyon for first place in the conference with a 6-1-1 record. Each team ends the season with a four game Hawaii road trip that will determine the PacWest Champion.

NDNU caps off their home schedule with a non-conference game against San Francisco State on Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 pm. BOX SCORE

Grand Canyon Stuns Argos in Double Overtime

October 23 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team suffered a heartbreaking loss to Grand Canyon as the Antelopes prevailed 2-1 on a goal with one second left in the second overtime.

The Argos and Antelopes battled for nearly all 110 minutes before GCU went the length of the field and scored with time running out. After Franco Carotenuto stopped a shot by Christian Rosales with 23 second left, the ‘Lopes broke out down the right side of the field. With under five seconds left, Cody Russell sent a cross into the box where Matheau Hall controlled it and beat goalkeeper David Meherg for the game winner.

NDNU dominated offensively for most of the game, outshooting Grand Canyon 25-9. Neither team found the net in the first as the Argos held a 6-5 shot advantage at the break.

The second half was a different story as the Argos outshot GCU 9-2, but the Antelopes got on the board first. In the 82nd minute, Antonio Valera sent a pass through the NDNU defense where Russell was able to chip it over Meherg and into the net.

The Argos refused to quit on offense as they turned it on over the final eight minutes of regulation. With under two minutes to play, Nathan Carlson crossed a pass into the box that Mark Bennett one-timed inside the left post to tie the game.

In overtime, the Argonauts held an 11-2 shot advantage but could not convert on their chances. Carotenuto came up with several game saving stops to keep the score tied.

Carotenuto, the NCAA leader in goals against average made nine saves for the game while Sheldon Steenhuis and David Meherg made one apiece.

The loss dropped NDNU to 5-1-1 in conference play while Grand Canyon moved into first place at 5-1-2. The Argos will look to regain first on Saturday when Dixie State comes to Koret Field for a 3:00 pm start. Saturday will also be Senior Day as NDNU will honor their graduating seniors. BOX SCORE

Argos Down HPU 4-0, Remain Unbeaten in PacWest

October 19 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer recorded their sixth straight shutout and improved to 5-0-1 in PacWest play with a 4-0 victory over Hawaii Pacific. The Argos used three second half goals to move to 9-2-2 on the season and remain unbeaten in their last nine games.

The first half was back and forth from the start with the Argos taking an early lead. Luis Astorga put NDNU up in the 5th minute when he headed home a cross from Cristobal Montes. The Sea Warriors were kept scoreless thanks in large part to two spectacular saves by Sheldon Steenhuis.

In the second, the Argonauts took over as they held a 9-2 shot advantage for the half. Montes registered the game’s second goal when he received a pass from Dorian Virrueta and put it past the charging goalie in the 53rd minute. The goal was Montes’s seventh of the season.

Just over two minutes later, Christian Rosales scored his first career goal when he fielded an attempted clear and one-timed it just inside the right post. The Argos final goal came in the 78th minute when Ronald Leiva sent a cross on the ground to the back post where Sean Vogt finished it off.

Sheldon Steenhuis and David Meherg once again combined for the shutout as the Argos extended their streak without allowing a goal to 608 minutes. Steenhuis made three saves for NDNU while Matt Terry made four for the Sea Warriors.

The Argos are back in action Thursday when they take on second place Grand Canyon at 3:00 pm. BOX SCORE

Argos Blank Vulcans, Remain Unbeaten in Conference

October 15 – For the fifth straight game, the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team did not allow a goal as they toppled Hawaii Hilo 3-0. The Argos improved to 8-2-2 overall on the year and are now 4-0-1 in PacWest play with five shutouts.

NDNU jumped on the Vulcans early with a goal 35 seconds into the game. Jacob Zavala intercepted an attempted past by a UHH defender, took one dribble and blasted the ball past the keeper for a 1-0 lead. The rest of the first half was back and forth as the Argos held a 6-5 shot advantage.

In the second, the Argos controlled for most of the period as they tallied 12 shots to just five from Hawaii Hilo. Cristobal Montes gave NDNU a two goal lead when he headed in a corner kick from Carlos Lopez in the 57th minute.

Less than three minutes later, Juan Barajas notched his first career goal to push the margin to three. Barajas headed a cross from Dorian Virrueta off the cross bar before rebounding his own shot for the goal.

Sheldon Steenhuis and David Meherg once again combined for the shutout as Meherg made four second half saves. The Argos remained unbeaten in their last eight games, going 7-0-1 and have not allowed a goal in the last 518 minutes of action.

Ivan Mercado made three saves for the Vulcans while Carlos Lopez led all players with four shots.

The Argos are back in action Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm when Hawaii Pacific comes to Koret Field. BOX SCORE

Argos Making Move in National and Regional Rankings

October 10 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team is making their move up the national and regional rankings on the heels of their seven game unbeaten streak.

The Argos currently sit fourth in the NSCAA/adidas West Region Rankings and fifth in the first NCAA Regional Poll released on Tuesday. NDNU also received votes in the NCAA National Poll where they stand just outside of the Top-25.

NDNU started the season 1-2-1 with losses to San Jose State and Cal Poly Pomona before rattling off six straight victories and tie. Following the loss to Pomona, the Argos rebounded with victories over three CCAA schools including #2 ranked Sonoma State.

The Argos then opened Pacific West play with three straight wins over Chaminade, BYU Hawaii and Dixie State before tying Grand Canyon last Sunday. In their four conference games, NDNU has yet to surrender a goal and has outscored their opponents 10-0.

As a team, NDNU currently ranks 14th in the nation in Goals Against Average at .069 and are tied for fourth in shutouts with six. Individually, sophomore Sheldon Steenhuis is 20th in the country in Goals Against Average at .756.

The Argos return to action next Wednesday when Hawaii Hilo comes to Koret Field for a 4:00 pm game. The Vulcans currently rank sixth in the West Region in both polls.

Argos and ‘Lopes Battle to Scoreless Tie

October 5 – In a matchup of the two conference leaders, the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team and Grand Canyon fought for 110 minutes before the game ended in a scoreless tie.

The Argos and ‘Lopes both moved to 3-0-1 in the conference while NDNU now stands at 7-2-2 on the season. NDNU also extended their scoreless streak to 428 minutes without allowing a goal.

Each team had a few scoring chances as the Argos had three shots on frame that were turned away by goalie Franco Carotenuto. The ‘Lopes managed just two shots on goal, both of which came in the second half.

Argonaut goalies Sheldon Steenhuis and David Meherg combined for their fourth straight shutout with Meherg making a pair of saves.

For the game, NDNU outshot Grand Canyon 10-8, including a 3-0 advantage in the final overtime.

The Argos return home to take a ten day break before returning to conference play with a game against Hawaii Hilo on October 15th. BOX SCORE

Argos Make it Six Straight with Win Over Dixie State

October 3 – The Notre Dame de Namur soccer team scored two early goals on their way to a 2-0 victory over Dixie State. With the win, the Argos extended their winning streak to six straight game and moved to 7-2-1 on the season.

The Argos stayed perfect in conference play as well, improving to 3-0 and have yet to allow a goal. Jacob Zavala got the scoring started for NDNU in the 12th minute. Cristobol Montes sent a cross on the ground that Zavala one touched into the net for a 1-0 advantage.

Carlos Lopez would strike less then two minutes later on a pass from Dorian Virruetta to give the Argos a cushion.

Sheldon Steenhuis and David Meherg once again combined for the shutout making two saves each. Ben Brooksby made two of his own for Dixie State.

The Argos are off to Phoenix for a matchup with Pacific West foe Grand Canyon. The Argos and ‘Lopes are currently tied for first place in the conference with 3-0 records. BOX SCORE

Argos Win Fifth Straight, Down BYU Hawaii 3-0

September 27 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team earned their fifth consecutive victory with a 3-0 win over BYU Hawaii. The Argos recorded their second straight shutout to improve to 6-2-1 on the year while moving to 2-0 in Pacific West play.

NDNU controlled the game from the start, needing less than five minutes to net their first goal. Cristobal Montes played the ball from the right wing to the top of the box where Dorian Virrueta lofted the shot over the keeper for a 1-0 lead.

In the closing minutes of the first, the Argos added another goal when Arturo Gomez and Juan Barajas played a perfect give and go with Gomez coming up with the score. In the 54th minute, Virrueta found Montes who eluded the goalie and made the score 3-0.

The Argos outshot the Seasiders 19-5 for the game, including an 8-0 advantage in shots on goal. Shelden Steenhuis and David Meherg once again combined for the shutout while Doug Hansen and Alvaro Lula made five total saves for BYU Hawaii.

NDNU travels the Dixie State and Grand Canyon next week for their first conference road games of the season. BOX SCORE

Argos Explode in Second Half, Topple Chaminade 5-0

September 23 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team opened up conference play with a five goal second half on their way to a victory over Chaminade. The Argos offense erupted in the second half as they outshot the Silverswords 17-2 while improving to 5-2-1 on the season.

NDNU controlled for most of the first half, outshooting Chaminade 12-4. However, Swords goalie Kris Lounsbury kept the game scoreless with seven saves, including a few spectacular stops.

The second half was a different story as Chaminade could not keep the Argos off the board for long. Cristobal Montes got the scoring started in the 50th minute when he stopped an attempted clear and lofted a shot from 30 yards over Lounsbury’s head. Ten minutes later, Jacob Zavala made the score 2-0 when he chased down Carlos Lopez’s header and snuck it past the charging goalie.

Nathan Carlson would notch the Argos next score in the 71st minute when he dribbled around a defender on the left side and shot to the far post.

The final two NDNU goals came from freshman Arturo Gomez is a 2:46 second span. In the 82nd minute, Gomez juked two defenders and chipped the ball past the goalie before adding his second when he took a long pass from Sean Vogt and beat Lounsbury low.

Shelden Steenhuis and David Meherg combined for the shutout with Steenhuis making three saves. Lounsbury made ten for the Silverswords.

The Argos continue Pacific West play on Saturday when BYU Hawaii comes to Koret Field for a 4:00 pm kickoff. BOX SCORE

Argos Upset #2 Sonoma State on Goal with 0:02 Left

September 12 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team pulled off the biggest win in school history on a game winning header by Mark Bennett with just two seconds left in overtime. The Argos defeated the #2 ranked Sonoma State Seawolves in a thrilling back and forth match that ended with coach Lance Thompson being drenched with a water cooler.

“The guys executed out game plan perfectly for all 100 minutes.” Thompson said. “We understood what it was going to take to compete with such an outstanding opponent and the team came through when it mattered.”

The first half was very evenly played with each team recording five shots and each goalie making three saves. The Argos had a few scoring opportunities including a shot by Cristobal Montes that was heading for the net before a Seawolves defender sent it out. SSU goalie Brook Thompson also made a diving save on a blast from Dorian Virrueta to keep the game scoreless.

Sonoma State broke through first in the second half, scoring in the 51st minute. Andew Bailey came up with the ball surrounded by a pair of Argo defenders, but wielded around and fired the shot past Sheldon Steenhuis for a 1-0 lead.

The Argos continued to put pressure on the Sonoma State defense and would tie the score in the 63rd minute. Christian Rosales sent a ball from midfield down the right side where Jacob Zavala fielded it and streaked toward the net. Zavala then played the ball to fellow forward Luis Astorga who slid and pushed the ball past Thompson and into the back of the net.

Over the final 27 minutes each team had a few scoring opportunities but come away empty handed.

In overtime, the Seawolves came out strong, keeping the ball in the Argonaut zone for much of the period. However as time was running down NDNU played the ball into the right corner. Astorga chased down the ball, and played it back to Sean Gurley with six second left. Gurley the crossed the ball to the far post where Bennett headed the ball into the net with two second left.

Steenhuis made five saves for the Argonauts while Thompson made a pair for Sonoma State as NDNU held a 12-10 shot advantage for the game.

The victory was NDNU first all time against Sonoma State as the Seawolves came into the contest with a 20-0-1 all-time record against the Argonauts.

The Argos wrapped up non-conference play with a 4-1-1 record against Division II opponents and will host Chaminade to open the PacWest season on September 23rd. BOX SCORE

Argos Rally to Defeat Warriors

September 9 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team found themselves down early but fought back to score the games final two goals in a 2-1 victory over CSU Stanislaus. The Argos used a pair of second half goals by Carlos Lopez and Cristobal Montes to improve to 3-2-1 on the season.

NDNU controlled for most of the first half, but could not find the net. Christian Rosales’s header in the 22nd minute hit the crossbar and kept the game scoreless. The Warriors made the most of their chances in the first, scoring on their first shot. Chris Silva played a ball perfectly past the Argonaut defenders where Matthew Johnson was able to put it home.

The second half was completely dominated by the Argos as they outshot the visitors 16-1 and controlled the ball for nearly the entire period. Lopez even the score a 1-1 in the 49th minute when he curled his free kick from the corner over goalie Javier Rosales’s head and into the net.

After a few missed opportunities, including a shot by Luis Astorga off the post, the Argonauts pulled ahead on a goal by Montes in the 65th minute. Montes stole the ball from a defender in the corner and dribbled on net, sliding the ball under the goalie and into the net.

The goal was Montes’s third of the season and his second game winner in as many matches.

The Argos are back in action Friday afternoon at 4:00 pm when #2 ranked Sonoma State comes to Koret Field. BOX SCORE

Argos Rebound with 2-1 Victory over CSU San Bernardino

September 7 – After dropping a tough overtime match on Friday, the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team rebound with a 2-1 win over CSU San Bernardino. Cristobal Montes’s header in the 82nd minute provided the cushion the Argos needed in that one goal game.

The Argos took a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute when Mark Bennett found Dorian Virrueta alone on the left wing. Virrueta then put a low shot past the keeper and into the net just inside the far post.

Montes would give NDNU a much need insurance goal late in the game when he headed a cross from Nathan Carlson past Tyler Kahn. The goal would prove to be valuable as the Coyotes score twenty seconds later on a 25 yard blast from Miguel Alatorre.

David Meherg and Sheldon Steenhuis combined on the win for NDNU, making two saves as the Argos held a 7-6 shot advantage. Kahn made a pair of saves for CSU San Bernardino.

The Argos take on another CCAA foe on Tuesday when CSU Stanislaus comes to Koret Field for a 4:00 pm game. BOX SCORE

Argos Fall to Cal Poly Pomona in OT

September 5 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team dropped a tough game in overtime to Cal Poly Pomona 2-1. The Argos and Broncos battled through 90 minutes with each team scoring once before CPP ended the game for good in 97th minute.

The first half was all Broncos as they outshot the Argos 4-0 but could not get any of them past goalie David Meherg. CPP grabbed a 1-0 lead on a goal by Rigo Cardenas in the 49th minute on a feed from Eric Gonzales and Wayne Kao.

The Argos knotted the game at 1-1 under a minute later when Carlos Lopez found Cristobal Montes for his first career goal.

In overtime, the Broncos controlled throughout before Aaron Borja found himself alone in front of the net and put the game away.

Shelden Steenhuis made five saves for the Argos who were outshot 16-4 for the game. Thomas Ryan earned the victory in net for CPP, playing all 97 minutes and allowing just the one goal.

The Argos stay in Southern California for a game Sunday afternoon against CSU San Bernardino. BOX SCORE

Argos Handle Monterey Bay 2-0

September 2 – The Argos defense once again did not yield a goal as the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team defeated CSU Monterey Bay 2-0. NDNU picked up their first win of the year as they dominated both ends of the field all game long.

Carlos Lopez put the Argos up in the first half when he took a pass from Cristobol Montes and touched it past goalie Brenden Baca. NDNU controlled throughout the half as they racked up 11 shots to just one from the Otters.

The second was much of the same as the Argos held a 13-3 shot advantage and added another goal. Koroush Benham scored his first career goal when he followed a rebound off a shot from Christian Rosales.

Goalies David Meherg and Sheldon Steenhuis once again held the opponents scoreless while the Otter goalies kept the visitors close with 13 saves.

The Argos head down south this weekend for games against Cal Poly Pomona and CSU San Bernardino. BOX SCORE

Argos and Jacks Battle to Scoreless Tie

August 31 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team fought through 110 minutes of scoreless action to tie Humboldt State 0-0. The Argos controlled for much of the game but could not get a score on the board despite a 9-2 advantage in shots on goal.

The first half was back and forth with Humboldt taking six shots and NDNU answering with four. The Jacks had their best scoring chance in the 20th minute when Ben Vasser’s shot from 20 yards out hit the post. The Argos had a score disallowed in the final minutes on a offsides call.

The second half and overtime was all NDNU as the home team outshot the Jacks 13-6. HSU goalie Drew Ryan kept the game scoreless with nine saves while Sheldon Steenhuis made two in 65 scoreless minutes.

The Argos are back in action Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 pm when CSU Monterey Bay comes to Koret Field. BOX SCORE

Early Goal Helps Lead San Jose State Past NDNU

August 29 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team dropped their season opener to San Jose State 3-0. The Spartans used an early goal to take the lead in the first ten minutes and added two more late in the second half to put the game away.

Hiroki Akiyama put SJSU up in the 9th minute, taking a through pass from Colby Moore and beating goalkeeper Sheldon Steenhuis on the lower right. The Argos just missed a chance to tie the game late in the half, but Juan Barajas’s shot on net deflected off a defender and into the hands of Spartan goalie Lewis Sweeney.

Gavin Wenyon added a very important insurance goal in the 66th minute when he tipped a pass to himself and beat David Meherg. Stephen Cordova scored seven minutes later to push the score to 3-0.

The Argos were out shot 26-11 on the game with Steenhuis and Meherg combining for seven saves.

NDNU is back in action Sunday at 12:30 pm when Humboldt State comes to Koret Field for the Argos home opener. BOX SCORE

Steenhuis Named PacWest Preseason Player of the Year
Two Others Named Preseason All-Conference

BELMONT, CA – After an outstanding freshman season that saw him named the conference’s top goalie, sophomore keeper Sheldon Steenhuis added to his accolades when he was chosen as the Pacific West Conference’s Preseason Player of the Year.

Steenhuis (Morgan Hill, CA/Live Oak) was terrific in his 12 games for NDNU last year. He wound up with the second-highest save percentage in the PacWest (.760), a stellar 1.41 goals against average to also rank second and finished second in the conference in shutouts with three.

In addition to Steenhuis, senior defenders David Wulff and Sean Vogt were named to the Preseason All-Conference Team after earning All-PacWest honors last year.

Wolfe (San Jose, CA/Wilcox) was a First Team All-Conference performer in 2007 after he helped anchor an Argonaut defense that finished second in the conference in goals against average (1.36), goals allowed (28) and shutouts (6).

Vogt (Fresno, CA/Clovis West) made 17 starts on defense and also chipped in three goals while garnering Honorable Mention All-PacWest accolades.

The Argos open their season Friday afternoon with a game against San Jose State at 3:00 pm.

Seven Argos Earn All-Conference Accolades

December 3 - The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team capped of the 2007 season with seven players receiving All-PacWest honors, including freshman Sheldon Steenhuis being named Goalkeeper of the Year. The Argos placed three players on the First Team, two on the Second Team and had two more named Honorable Mention after finishing second in the conference with a 6-4 record.

In addition to earning Goalkeeper of the Year honors, Steenhuis was also named First Team All-PacWest along with Andres Caballero and David Wulff. Midfielders Emmanuel Vasquez and Dorian Virrueta garnered Second Team honors while juniors Carlos Lopez and Sean Vogt received Honorable Mention status.

Steenhuis (Morgan Hill, CA/Live Oak) was terrific in his 12 games for NDNU this year. He wound up with the second-highest save percentage in the PacWest (.760), a stellar 1.41 goals against average to also rank second, and finished second in the conference in shutouts with three.

Senior forward Andres Caballero (Camarillo, CA/Rio Mesa) was the chief offensive threat for NDNU in 2007. He led the Argos in scoring with 19 points on nine goals and one assist and finished second in the conference in goals. Caballero also ranked third in the conference in points, seventh in points per game (0.95), third in goals per game (0.45) and was second in the league with four game-winners. He was at his best in conference play, registering six goals in 10 PacWest games.

Junior defender David Wolfe (San Jose, CA/Wilcox) helped anchor an Argonaut defense that finished second in the conference in goals against average (1.36), goals allowed (28) and shutouts (6).

Senior Emmanuel Vasquez (Corona, CA/Santiago) and junior Dorian Virrueta (Fremont, CA/America) were both staples in the midfield for NDNU. Vasquez finished second on the team with eight points (two goals, four assists) while Virreuta finished third with seven points (two goals, three assists).

Juniors Carlos Lopez (Santa Monica, CA/Santa Monica) and Sean Vogt (Fresno, CA/Clovis West) each turned in impressive debut seasons for the Argos. Lopez appeared in all 20 games and finished with two goals and three assists. Vogt made 17 starts on defense and also chipped in three goals, two of which were game winners.

The Argos concluded the 2007 season with a 10-9-1 record but went 6-2 in their final eight games to capture second place in the Pacific West. All-Conference Teams

Argos Closeout Season with Overtime Win

November 2 – With less than two minutes left in the second overtime, senior Andres Caballero ended the Argonauts season with a game winning goal. The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team closed out the year with a 2-1 victory over BYU Hawaii, improving the Argos overall record to 10-9-1. The Argos also sealed second place in the conference with a 6-4 record.

After a scoreless first half, the Argos got on the board early in the second with Emmanuel Vasquez’s goal in the 51st minute. Vasquez received the corner kick from Edgar Rivera and beat goalie Doug Hansen. Michael Akinaka knotted the score at 1-1 in the 82nd minute on a penalty kick that would send the game to overtime. Both teams battled through a scoreless first overtime before Caballero scored with just under one and a half minutes left in the second overtime. Rivera once again recorded the assist and sent the Argos home with the win.

The Seasiders out shot NDNU 13-11 for the game, but the Argos recorded nine shots on goal to just five from BYU Hawaii. BOX SCORE

Argos Rebound with 3-1 Victory over Chaminade

October 31 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team overcame an early deficit to take down Chaminade 3-1. The Argos out shot the Swords 12-3 while improving 5-4 in Pacific West play.

Chaminade got on the board first when a throw-in was mishandled by goalie Mike Jaso and found the back of the net. Andres Caballero evened the score in the 31st minute before Carlos Lopez gave the Argos a one goal lead with 24 seconds left in the first half. Edgar Flores added an insurance goal in the 48th minute off a feed from Jonathon Woolley. Jaso picked up the win in net for NDNU, making one save.

The Argos moved to 9-9-1 overall on the season and close out the year on Friday with BYU Hawaii. BOX SCORE

Argos Suffer Tough Loss to Hilo 2-1

October 29 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team could not overcome an early one goal lead, falling to Hawaii Hilo 2-1. The Argos dropped to 4-4 in Pacific West play as the Vulcans scored on their only two shots on goal.

NDNU took the lead just over two minutes into the game when Andres Caballero took a crossing pass from Dorian Virrueta and beat goalie Marc Fournier. The Vulcans answered back less than a minute later on a goal by Luis Lanz. Hilo put themselves up for good later in the half when Kyle Cabison scored off an indirect kick by Dustin Daley. The second half passed without a goal as Fournier buckled down in net for the Vulcans, making six saves.

The Argos moved to 8-9-1 overall on the year with two games remaining. Chaminade is next up for NDNU on Wednesday before closing out the season with BYU Hawaii on Friday. BOX SCORE

Late Goal Propels Argos Past HPU

October 27 – David Wulff scored his first career goal with less than five minutes remaining as the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team downed Hawaii Pacific 1-0. The Argos, who pulled off a come from behind 3-2 victory over the Sea Warriors two weeks ago, held a 13-5 shot advantage.

The first half was evenly played with both teams recording four shots. The second half picked up a little with the Argos recording nine shots while HPU had just one. With the game still scoreless in the final five minutes, Wulff beat goalkeeper Matt Terry to net the contests only goal. Terry made six saves for the Sea Warriors while Sheldon Steenhuis recorded three saves in his shutout.

NDNU moved to 8-8-1 overall and 4-3 in the PacWest with Hawaii Hilo next up on Monday. BOX SCORE

Argos Fall at Sonoma 5-0

October 24 - The Notre Dame de Namur men's soccer surrendered four first half goals to Sonoma State before eventually falling 5-0. The Argos moved to 7-8-1 on the season with just four Pacific West games remaining.

NDNU fell behind early, allowing three goals in an eight minute span. Andrew Bailey got the scoring started in the 12th minute before Nathan Medina followed with another goal less than one minute later. Eric Lafon would then score in the 20th minute and Bailey would add his second goal of the game in the 27th minute. In the second half, NDNU goalie Sheldon Steenhuis kept the game close, making five saves and allowing just one goal. Scott Preckwinkle scored the lone second half goal on a penalty kick in the 58th minute.

Andres Caballero led the Argos with four shots and recorded the only two shots on goal. NDNU is off to Hawaii to close out the season with four games against Pacific West competition. BOX SCORE

Argos Hold Off Santa Cruz 3-2

October 17 – Three second half goals helped propel the Notre Dame de Namur soccer team to a 3-2 victory over UC Santa Cruz. The Argos and Slugs battled to a scoreless tie through sixty minutes before the teams combined for five goals in the final thirty minutes.

The Argos out shot Santa Cruz 14-11 for the game and scored three goals on six shots in the second half. Sean Vogt got the Argos on the board in the 63rd minute when he beat goalkeeper Jared Wheeler after Emmanuel Vasquez sent him a pass from the top of the box. Carlos Lopez followed with a goal four minutes later on a feed from Chris Arceo. The Slugs cut the lead in half with a score by Jeremy Adams off a corner kick in the 72nd minute.

The Argos would go on to add a very important insurance goal in the 84th minute when Andres Caballero broke past the defense and beat Wheeler through the five hole. Santa Cruz would pull within one score two minutes later on Adam Smarte’s goal, but that would be as close as they would come.

Mike Jaso made two saves in a scoreless first half before Sheldon Steenhuis came in for the second and made a pair of stops. Wheeler come up with two saves for the Slugs and allowed three goals.

NDNU is off until October 24th when they travel to Sonoma State to face the Seawolves in a non-conference match. BOX SCORE

Late Goal Caps Argonaut Comeback

October 14 – Even after falling behind by two goals in the first half the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team never quit and pulled off a come from behind victory over Hawaii Pacific. The Argos downed HPU 3-2, courtesy of Andres Caballero’s game winning goal in the 87th minute.

HPU controlled most of the first half, out shooting the Argos 6-4 and taking a 2-1 lead into the break. The Sea Warriors got on the board first, netting a pair of goals in less than a minute. Andre Whitt put HPU up at the 19:54 mark when he dribbled past three Argonaut defenders and beat goalie Rafael Vaquerano. Akihide Adachi struck just 28 seconds later when he took Adam Rieke’s rebound and beat the NDNU keeper once again.

The Argos did not waste anytime cutting the lead in half, scoring just one minute and 36 seconds later. Brad Katherman’s throw-in found its way through the HPU defense to Dorian Virrueta who beat goalie Matt Terry.

The score remained 2-1 into the second half until NDNU earned a penalty kick in the 61st minute. Edgar Rivera made the most of the opportunity, scoring his first goal in the season by going low into the left side of the net.

Caballero put the Argos up for good when he stole a HPU pass and streaked down the right side. Terry came out of the net, but Caballero put the ball out of his reach and into the corner of the net.

NDNU improved to 6-7-1 overall and moved to 3-3 in Pacific West while Hawaii Pacific dropped to 4-6 overall and 3-2 in the PacWest. The Argos stay at home this week for a non-conference match-up with UC Santa Cruz on Wednesday at 12:30 pm. BOX SCORE

Argos Cruise Past Hawaii Hilo 4-0

October 10 – A pair of early goals helped push Notre Dame de Namur to a 4-0 win over Hawaii Hilo. The Argos scored twice in the first 13 minutes of action and added two more second half goals to improve in 2-3 in Pacific West play. NDNU out shot the Vulcans 18-12 for the game, including a 8-3 advantage in shots on goal.

Edgar Flores got the Argos started early with a penalty kick goal in the 5th minute. NDNU scored the second goal of the half in the 13th minute after Carlos Lopez headed a crossing pass from Kyle Hyden over to Dorian Virrueta who found the back of the net. Andres Caballero tacked on both of the Argo goals in the second half, first taking a crossing pass from Jonathon Woolley in the 47th minute and then scoring on a cross from Virruetta in the 68th minute.

Mike Jaso and Rafael Vaquerano combined for the shutout for the Argos, making a combined three saves. Marc Fournier made four stops for the Vulcans, but also allowed all four goals.

NDNU improved to 5-7-1 overall and will look to move to .500 in conference play when they take on Hawaii Pacific on Sunday at 2:30 pm. BOX SCORE

Argos and Gator Battle to Scoreless Tie

October 5 – After 110 minutes of scoreless action, the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team and San Francisco State concluded in a 0-0 tie. Both teams had opportunities on offense, but neither one could get find the net. The Gators out shot the Argos 20-16, but NDNU recorded eight shots on goal to six from SFSU.

Goalies Mike Jaso and Israel Cisneros each came up big for their respective teams. Jaso stopped six San Francisco State shots while Cisneros turned the Argos away eight times. Andres Caballero recorded three shots on goal for NDNU with Robert Morini adding two of his own. The Gators were led by Casey Poston’s three shots on goal.

The Argos moved to 4-7-1 on the season while the Gators now stand at 7-5-1. NDNU returns home on Wednesday for a Pacific West Conference game with Hawaii Hilo. BOX SCORE

NDNU Falls to Grand Canyon 3-0

October 1 – Despite out shooting Grand Canyon 12-9, the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team was shutout for the second straight game. The Antelopes used a pair of first half goals to cruise to a 3-0 victory over the Argos.

Tony Judice got Grand Canyon on board in the 30th minute when he beat Rafael Vaquerano on a free kick. Andrew Bailey gave the Lopes a 2-0 lead in the 39th minute when he took Bosko Jovicevic’s pass and put it in the back of the net. Bailey tacked on another goal in the 66th minute to put the game away. Vincent Licciardi did not allow a goal for the second straight game, combining on a shutout with Adam Aguilar. The two tallied six total saves while Sheldon Steenhuis made one for the Argos.

NDNU falls to 4-7 overall and 1-3 in PacWest play with the loss while Grand Canyon improved their conference record to a perfect 4-0 and are 5-4-3 overall. BOX SCORE

Grand Canyon Topples NDNU 2-0

September 29 – The Notre Dame de Namur men's soccer team fell to 1-2 in Pacific West play with a tough 2-0 loss at Grand Canyon. The ‘Lopes out shot the Argos 15-5 and used a pair of Tony Judice goals to earn the victory.

Judice put Grand Canyon up 1-0 in the 35th minute when he took a long pass from Andrew Bailey and beat NDNU goalkeeper Shelden Steenhuis. Judice struck again in the 82nd minute on another pass from Bailey, this time beating goalie Rafael Vaquerano.

Steenhuis and Vaquerano made three saves apiece for the Argos while Vincent Licciardi made one for Grand Canyon. The Argos and ‘Lopes square off again on Monday afternoon for their second and final meeting of the season. BOX SCORE

Two Second Half Goals Push BYU Hawaii Past NDNU

September 22 – Despite setting the tone early, the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team dropped a tough conference battle to BYU Hawaii 2-1. The Argos controlled the first half taking a 1-0 lead and out shooting the Seasiders 10-5. The second half was a different story as the game moved back and forth throughout with BYU Hawaii taking advantage of their scoring opportunities.

Chris Arceo put the Argos on top in the 29th minutes with his first career goal. Andres Caballero got the break started with a pass cross field to Russell McCluskey who then sent the ball through the BYU Hawaii defense to Arceo. Arceo sidestepped the goalie and put the ball into the open net to give NDNU a 1-0 advantage. The lead lasted until the 54th minute when Trenton Read headed the ball back to Sam Akinaka who beat goalie Sheldon Steenhuis from 15 yards to tie the score. The game remained tied into the 74th minute when the Seasiders went ahead for good on a goal by Lance Ford off a pass from Adam Maciejewski.

The Argos fall to 4-5 on the season and are 1-1 on the Pacific West while BYU Hawaii improved to 5-4 overall and 2-0 in PacWest play. BOX SCORE

NDNU Topples Chaminade in Conference Opener

September 18 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team opened up their 2007 conference play with a 2-0 victory over Chaminade. The Argos scored once in each half and held a 22-6 shot advantage while improving to 4-4 on the season.

Sean Vogt put the Argos on the board in the 42nd minute when he took a pass from Chris Arceo and headed it past Chaminade goalie Darren Smith. The score remained 1-0 until the 76th minute when Russell McCluskey emerged from a group of players around the net and beat Smith once again.

The Argos defense allowed the Silver Swords to take just two shots on goal while Sheldon Steenhuis recorded his second straight shutout. Smith kept the Swords close by making 10 saves, including one on a penalty kick late in the second half. NDNU stays home this week to take on BYU Hawaii at 4:00 pm on Saturday. BOX SCORE

NDNU Downs St Martin’s 2-0

September 11 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team got some revenge on St. Martin’s with a 2-0 victory on the road. The Saints defeated the Argos 1-0 in a neutral site game two weeks ago, but could not hold off NDNU attack this time. The Argos used a pair of late second half goals and some stellar work in the net to record their second shutout of the season.

After a scoreless first half that saw each team take six shots, the Argos got on the board in the 73rd minute. Sean Fogt scored his first career goal on a bicycle kick off an assist from Emmanuel Vazquez. Vazquez would add an insurance goal two minutes later on a rebound of the post to give the Argos a 2-0 lead. Sheldon Steenhuis once again manned the net for the Argos and recorded his second shutout in the past three games. He turned away nine shots, including five in the second half. The Argos out shot the Saints 19-13 for the game and had 13-7 advantage in the second half.

NDNU is back in action next Tuesday when they open up Pacific West play against Chaminade at 4:00 pm. BOX SCORE

NDNU Falls at Seattle

September 10 – An early second half goal proved to be enough as Seattle downed Notre Dame de Namur in a tough 1-0 battle. The Argos fell to 2-4 on the season while Seattle improved to 5-1.

After a scoreless first half, Seattle got on the board in the 62nd minute Cameron Mertens finished a breakaway on a ball over the top from John Fishbaugher for the only goal of the game. The Argos were out shot 12-9 on the game including a 5-2 deficit on shots on goal. Freshman goalie Sheldon Steenhuis made four saves for NDNU while Emerson DeOliveira recorded a shutout in net for Seattle.

NDNU remains on the road this week with a Tuesday game against St. Martin’s. The Argos faced St. Martin’s last weekend at the Lumberjack Classic and lost 1-0. BOX SCORE

Argos Split at Lumberjack Classic

September 3 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team split a pair of games over the Labor Day weekend at the Humboldt State Lumberjack Classic. The Argos dropped the first game against Saint Martin’s 1-0 on Saturday before downing the host school 1-0 on Monday.

In the first game, the Argos could not get anything going on offense against Saint Martin’s. NDNU was only out shot by one for the game, but managed just one shot on goal. Saint Martin’s broke a scoreless tie in the 86th minute when Daniel Palmero scored on a rebound off a save by goalie Sheldon Steenhuis. BOX SCORE

On Monday, the Argos responded by beating Humboldt State 1-0. Andres Caballero’s goal in the 18th minute was the difference as NDNU moved their record to 2-3 on the season. Caballero scored off a Carlos Lopez assist after a Lumberjack turnover. Sheldon Steenhuis, making his first start in goal, recorded a shutout by making six saves. BOX SCORE

Steenhuis was named Most Outstanding Goalkeeper for the tournament and was named to the 2007 Quiznos Soccer Classic Men's All-Tournament Team. Joining Steenhuis on the All-Tournament Team were Andres Caballero, Nick Casagrande and Carlos Lopez.

The Argos are back in action on Sunday when they travel to Washington to face Seattle.

Argos Suffer Tough Loss to San Bernardino

August 29 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team dropped a tough game to CSU San Bernardino 1-0 despite out shooting the Coyotes 18-8. The Argos had several chances to get on the board throughout the game, but could not put the ball past goalkeeper Lucas Pepi.

The game moved into halftime scoreless with the Argos recording six shots on goal compared to zero from the Coyotes. Robert Morini hit the post on a penalty kick late in the half to keep the game tied at 0-0. In the second, San Bernardino got on the board in the 53rd minute when Lorenzo Loson took a pass from Daniel Rodriguez and drilled it into the back of the net. The Argos appeared to tie the game late in the second half on a header by Morini, but the corner kick went out of bounds thus disallowing the goal.

Pepi finished with 11 saves for the Coyotes while Rafael Vaquereno saved one for the Argos. Andres Caballero led all players with four shots on goal, including one that got past the keeper but was kicked out by a San Bernardino defender. NDNU is off to Arcata this weekend for a pair of games in the Lumberjack Classic hosted by Humboldt State. BOX SCORE

Argos Win Double Overtime Thriller

August 25 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team put one in the win column this afternoon with a 3-2 double overtime victory over Cal Poly Pomona. The Argos got on the board first in the 26th minute when Mark Bennett headed in Kyle Hyden’s pass. The Broncos tied the game in closing minutes of the first half on a goal by Kevin Hazdovac. Hazdovac rebounded his own shot and beat Rafael Vasquerano to even up the score.

Andres Caballero gave the Argos a one goal lead in the 69th minute when he hammered home a crossing pass from Jonathan Woolley. However, Pomona once again tied the score on a header from Ryan Sheirich which would be the last goal of regulation.

The two teams battled through a scoreless first overtime before the Argos ended the game for good in the 104th minute. Carlos Lopez beat a Broncos defender down the right side before floating a pass to the front of the net that Kyle Hyden headed in at the back post. The win evens the Argos record at 1-1 with another home game against CSU San Bernardino scheduled for Wednesday.
BOX SCORE

Argos Drop Season Opener to CSU Stanislaus

August 23 - After winning their final nine games last season on the way to a PacWest Championship, the Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team could not pick up where they left off. The Argos dropped their 2007 season opener to CSU Stanislaus by a score of 3-0. The Warriors netted two first half goals to take the lead while NDNU struggled on offense.

The Warriors’ first goal came in the 23rd minute when Dennis Wolfe broke free and took a shot on Argonaut goalkeeper Rafael Vaquerano. Vaquerano made the save, but in an attempt to clear the ball a NDNU player kicked it in. Stanislaus added another goal eight minutes later, give the Warriors a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Stanislaus tacked on another goal in the 73rd minute to put the game out of reach. The Argonauts offense struggled, taking just seven shots with none of them being on goal. NDNU is back in action Saturday for the home opener at 11:30 am against Cal Poly Pomona.
Box Score

NDNU Announces Boys and Girls Youth Soccer Camps Schedule

May 8 - The Notre Dame de Namur men's and women's soccer programs have announced a pair of youth soccer camps to be held this July. The camps, which feature half and full day sessions, are for boys and girls ages 5-14. In addition, a night session will be offered for players ages 12 and up. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Seven Argos Receive All-Conference Honors

April 9 – The Notre Dame de Namur men’s soccer team capped off an impressive first year in the Pacific West, with seven players receiving All-Conference accolades for their outstanding play. The Argos concluded the season with a 13-5-2 overall record while going 9-1 in conference play and earning a share of the title.

Seniors Anthony Putrus, Anton Del Rosario and Nick Hooper all earned First Team honors after leading the Argos attack all season long. Senior Erik Michon and junior Daniel Pena were named to the Second Team while juniors Robert Morini and Emmanuel Vasquez received Honorable Mention Status.

Putrus (Spring Valley, CA) scored 13 goals and dished out 11 assists for a team high 37 points. He was second in the conference in points, tied for second in assists and was third in goals scored.

Del Rosario (Burlingame, CA) led NDNU and the Pacific West in assists with 13 while appearing in all 20 games. He added seven goals to finish fourth in the conference with 27 points.

Hooper (Hamshire, England) started 16 games for the Argos at the forward position, finishing with six goals and eight assists.

Michon (San Carlos, CA) led the Argos and ranked second in the conference with 15 goals this season. He finished third in points (33) and recorded the team’s only hat trick of the season with three goals against Western Washington on September 23rd.

Pena (Fremont, CA), Morini (San Bruno, CA) and Vasquez (Corona, CA) anchored an Argos defense that surrendered just 1.1 goals per game on the season and had a 0.49 goals against average in conference play. Pena was the only Argo to start every game on the season while Morini and Vasquez tied for fourth on the team with four assists each.

The Argos finished the season ranked 5th in the NSCAA/adidas Regional Ranking for the Far West Region.

NDNU Names New Director of Soccer
Lance Thompson hired to lead the men’s and women’s soccer programs

February 12 – The Notre Dame de Namur University athletic department has announced the hiring of Lance Thompson as the Director of Soccer.

Thompson is currently an assistant coach at Midwestern State and comes to NDNU with over eight years of college coaching experience. Before spending a year as an assistant at Midwestern, Thompson was the men’s head soccer coach and Athletic Director at Holy Names University for two seasons. Prior to that, Thompson led the Alliant International men’s soccer program for five seasons and the women’s for two.

Thompson has enjoyed success in all of his previous coaching positions, compiling an overall record of 112-58-15. This past year at Midwestern State he helped lead the Mustangs to a #11 national ranking and an appearance in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. At Holy Names, he led the team to a California Pacific Conference Championship and NAIA Region II Championship in 2004. During his tenure at Alliant International, the men’s team won the NAIA Region II Championship in 2001 and was runner up in 2003.

Thompson becomes only the fourth men’s head coach in the 19 year history of the program and the third women’s coach since the program started in 2000.

The NDNU men’s and women’s soccer programs are both coming off of Pacific West Conference Championships and will open the 2007 season at the end of August.

NDNU Wins Ninth Straight, Downs BYU Hawaii 3-1

October 28 - The NDNU men's soccer team won their final game of the season 3-1 over BYU Hawaii. The Argos finished the season with nine straght wins and a 13-5-2 overall record. Anthony Putrus scored a pair of goals, the first one in the opening minute to give the Argos a 1-0 lead. Putrus netted his second goal in the 31st minute on a rebound off a free kick. The Seasiders cut the lead in half in the 37th minute when Aaron Nonnenmacher headed in a throw-in from the right side.

The game stayed 2-1 until the 75th minute when Anton Del Rosario added an insurance goal to preserve the NDNU victory. Nico Arellano once again manned the net for the Argos, making one save. He finished the season with a 1.16 goals against average. Putrus's two goals gave him 13 on the season and he also added 11 assists to lead the team in points. The Argos concluded the season with a 9-1 Pacific West record, good enough to tie Grand Canyon for the top spot in the conference. BOX SCORE

Argos Push Past HPU

October 27 - The NDNU men's soccer team collected their eighth straight victory with a 5-1 win over Hawaii-Pacific. The Argos improved to 12-5-2 overall and are tied for first in the Pac West with a 8-1 conference record. NDNU did not waste anytime getting started, scoring the first goal of the game in the 10th minute. Emmanuel Vasquez took a throw-in from the corner and beat the HPU goalie for an early 1-0 lead. Eric Michon would give the Argos a 2-0 lead in the 16th minute on his team leading 15th goal of the season. Anthony Putrus added the third goal of the first half in the 39th minute.

Andres Caballero tacked on two goals in the second half off assists from Anton Del Rosario and Edgar Rivera. Gabe Sugar scored in the 88th minute for the Sea Warriors ending the scoring at 5-1. Goalie Nico Arellano made four saves for the Argos, who out shot HPU 17-10 for the game. NDNU is back in action tomorrow for their final game of the season against BYU Hawaii. BOX SCORE

Argos Topple Chaminade 3-0

October 25 - The Notre Dame de Namur men's soccer team won their seventh straight game in decisive fashion, shutting out Chaminade 3-0. The Argos improved to 11-5-2 overall and are 7-1 in Pac West games. NDNU was on attack from the beginning, tallying 35 shots to only two from the Silverswords. Eric Michon put the Argos on the board with his team leading 14th goal on an assist from Anton Del Rosario.

The game remained 1-0 until the 57th minute when Del Rosario found Dorian Virrueta for the Argos second goal of the game. Virrueta would add another goal in the 65th minute on a feed from Anthony Putrus. Goalie Nico Arrellano recorded his second consecutive shutout, needing only one save to keep Chaminade scoreless. The Argos are back in action Friday against Hawaii-Pacific for the third game of their Hawaii trip. BOX SCORE