After a season full of disappointment the festivities of senior day at Pioneer Stadium on Sunday was a much needed celebration.

The Cal State East Bay men’s soccer team (4-8-5 overall, 0-6-4 conference) lost to Cal State Los Angeles (13-2, 9-1) 4-0 in the final home game for 13 Pioneer seniors.

With just one conference game remaining, the Pioneers could finish the season with no California Collegiate Athletic Association victories for the first time since 2009. Despite the tough season the seniors were still grateful for their time at CSUEB.

“Thanks to my teammates for making me a part of the East Bay family,” senior Steven Henry said. “I’d like to thank coach Cumbo and coach Geoff for giving me the senior season I never thought I’d have.”

CSUEB couldn’t have had a tougher opponent in their final home contest. The Golden Eagles have won their last nine games in a row outscoring opponents 32-5 this season.

CSULA was recently ranked 15th in the nation in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America national top-25 poll.

The Pioneers played strong until minute 35 when Golden Eagles sophomore defender Miguel Lara Galvan found junior midfielder Herbert Biste on a crossing pass for the first score of the game. Twelve minutes later Biste returned the favor to forward Andre Bissmark making the score 2-0 for CSULA.

Minutes after entering the game, CSUEB senior, Hayward native and Mount Eden High School alum Javier Martin was ejected after being given a red card for making contact with a CSULA player in the face.

“Cal State LA is too good to play against with only 10 men for more than 60 minutes,” CSUEB coach Andy Cumbo said. “The guys did the best they could playing shorthanded.”
Bissmark scored his second goal on the second assist of the day for Lara Galvan in minute 59 for a 3-0 lead.

  Golden Eagles Jordan Payne and Sigifredo Torres both assisted on the final goal of the game when Marvin Iskra found the back           of the net securing a 4-0 advantage.

CSUEB did have some opportunities to score including a penalty kick in the final minute of the game. With less than a minute remaining in the match senior Rica Guerra fired a shot that was blocked by CSULA goalie and Ohlone College transfer Michael Beigarten.

Kellen Crow kicked the rebound toward the net, but Beigarten blocked his shot as well. Guerra had one more shot after the second rebound, but sailed the ball over the net.

The loss is the eighth time the Pioneers have been shutout this season with a record of 0-6-2 in games when they don’t score a goal.

Even with all of the struggles the seniors did not let it get them down in their final home match.

“After five years and three schools I’m proud to say I saved the best one for last,” senior Trey James said.

The final game of the season for CSUEB is today at 4:30 p.m. in Turlock against the Cal State Stanislaus Warriors (6-7-3, 4-4-2).