Aug. 31, 2007

Box Score

Fullerton, CA - Seniors German Moreno and Ben Hofstetter scored first-half goals and the Cal State Fullerton defense throttled Long Island most of Friday evening as the Titans opened the 2007 men's soccer season with a 2-0 non-conference win over the visiting Blackbirds.

Moreno scored on a diving header off a short crossing free kick from Shay Spitz in the 17th minute. It was only the second goal of the senior from Long Beach's career with the first coming in last season's final match, also a game winner. However, he suffered an ankle injury in the second half and had to be helped off the pitch.

Hofstetter scored an unassisted goal in the 43rd minute, dribbling in from the right flank through traffic to beat LIU's Michael Wood, who finished with 5 saves.

The Titans outshot the Blackbirds, 11-0, in the first half and 18-5 for the match. LIU's best chance came in the 85th minute when a free kick by Peter Huijgen was blocked by the wall. Stephen Duncan volleyed the rebound and CSF's Brent Douglas made a scrambling block that caromed to Josh Merchant, whose shot was blocked by a defender.

Douglas finished with 3 saves.

Fullerton came close to scoring first in the 20th minute. Michael Farfan's free kick bounced off Wood and was headed in by a Titan but the referee had blown the ball dead for a moving wall. On the rekick, Farfan hit the crossbar.

It will be a battle of Titans on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. when Fullerton hosts the Titans of Detroit-Mercy University. Long Island plays at UC Irvine on Sunday and then at Cal State Bakersfield before returning east for the start of classes.