TRUE GRIT

By Brandon Petersen

Westcliff didn't just get a win Sunday night at Great Park Stadium. It earned one of the program's defining moments.

Playing nearly 63 minutes a man down after a first-half red card to Jose Morales, the Warriors dug in and delivered a 1-0 victory over first-place Stanton — the unbeaten newcomer that handed Westcliff its only loss of the conference season.

Lucas Rosell put Westcliff ahead in the 29th minute, finishing on pure effort after a scramble in front.

From there it was all resolve and organization.

Stanton pressed relentlessly, outshooting Westcliff 13-4 and earning six corner kicks, but the Warriors' back line held its shape and their goalkeeper refused to bend.

Olly Scott turned in a performance for the record books, collecting seven saves, including a penalty-kick stop in the 66th minute that preserved the lead and sealed his selection as Player of the Game.

Scott was even shown a yellow card for time management late, but the senior remained composed, controlling the box and punching away Stanton's final surge in the closing minutes.

"This was our signature win," head coach Randy Dodge said. "We haven't really had one this year where we just had to hunker down and battle and scrap against a great team. We showed that today. This is the character of our program and the culture we've created. These guys performed it today.

"Fantastic."

Dodge said the match demanded contributions across the roster after two starters went out injured and Morales' dismissal left Westcliff shorthanded for most of the night.

He pointed to the play of Finn Pock, Alex Hernandez, and others who logged heavy minutes in unfamiliar roles as proof of the group's depth and mentality.

Stanton controlled possession but found no way through, with each push repelled by a line of tired but disciplined defenders.

The Warriors absorbed wave after wave of contact — whistled for 21 fouls to Stanton's 12 — yet stayed organized enough to protect the clean sheet.

With the victory, Westcliff improves to 3-1-1 and pulls within two points of Stanton (4-1-0) atop the Cal Pac standings with three matches remaining.

The result transforms the conference race and sets up what now feels like an inevitable third meeting between the two sides in the postseason.

For Dodge, the takeaway was simple.

"They were Warriors," he said. "They deserved this after what they've been through all year. I'm just proud of them."

The Warriors host PUC Friday at OCC.

Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m.