BOX SCORE

LA MIRADA, Calif. – The season opener for the Westminster men's soccer team turned into a tough one for the Griffins at the Cougar Classic hosted by Azusa Pacific University. Westmont College used two first half goals to take all the momentum of the game and eventually won the game 5-1. The loss is the first in a season opener in two years and it's the first time since September, 2007 that a team had scored five goals against the Griffins. The game was played at Biola University due to smoke from a wildfire near the Azusa Pacific campus.

Westmont scored the first goal of the year when Doug Harrell beat Westminster's keeper Val Campbell in the 11th minute. Andrew Schneider made it 2-0 for Westmont in the 30th minute. It was eventually 4-0 before Isaac Green put a direct kick from 20 yards out in the back of the net for Westminster. For Green it was his second career goal.

The Griffins were outshot in the contest 21-8, including a 12-4 disadvantage in the opening 45 minutes. Campbell finished the night with seven saves for Westminster. Green and Jeff Gardner led the team with two shots apiece and nobody had more than one shot on goal.

Westminster will face The Master's College on Friday, August 28 in the second game of this opening weekend. Westminster is 2-9-1 all-time in games against The Master's.