Aliso Viejo, Calif. – Arizona Christian University (0-3-0) allowed three goals in the first 14:09 of the match and gave up goals in the last 30 seconds of both halves in a 6-1 loss to undefeated Bethesda Christian University (5-0), Friday, Sept. 9, at Soka University in Aliso Viejo, Calif.

Arizona Christian plays a pair of Golden State Athletics Conference opponents in southern California next week, meeting The Master’s College in Santa Clarita on Thursday, Sept. 15, at 4:30 p.m., and Hope International University at Fullerton Junior College, Saturday, Sept. 17, at 3:30 p.m.  Master’s and Hope International will be conference opponents for the Firestorm beginning next season when ACU becomes the eighth member of the GSAC.

Benefitting from not playing the night before, a fresh-legged Bethesda Christian squad outshot ACU, 29-5, and led 14-3 in shots directly on goal.  Forward Daniel Ruiz scored Bethesda’s first and third goals at 7:04 and 14:09 of the first half, and assisted on its fifth goal of the match at 82:18 of the second half.  Midfielder Ernesto Bello scored unassisted at 8:19 for a 3-0 lead.  Reserve forward Brett Dean scored BCU’s fourth goal with just 20 seconds left before the halftime intermission and scored the final goal with 26 seconds left in regulation time (89:34).

Sophomore goalkeeper Jorge Arauz (Las Vegas, Nev./Durango H.S.) saved eight Bethesda Christian shots on goal, several at close range, and BCU starting goalkeeper Hyeokjin Choi saved both ACU shots on goal he faced.  Junior Mark Sekelsky (Phoenix, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian Academy) tallied ACU’s only goal of the match at the 83:17 mark of the second half, his first goal of the season, capitalizing on a Bethesda defensive mistake.  Freshman Alfonso Romero (Douglas, Ariz./Douglas H.S.) attempted three of ACU’s five shots.

ACU head coach Jonathan Lenarz commented, “ACU played exactly the way we wanted to play for periods during the match, but it is hard to keep up momentum when they give up those late goals near the ends of both halves.  After playing 180 minutes in 16 hours, the fatigue became obvious.”  Lenarz credited junior wing defender Marcus Hoover (Berne, Ind./South Adams H.S.), junior midfielder Chris Swanson (Tucson, Ariz./Academy of Math and Science), and junior defender T.J. Seltzer (Glendale, Ariz./Mountain Ridge H.S.) as three players who fought through their fatigue and put forth solid defensive efforts.

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