Caltech Men’s Soccer Victorious Over Park in 2024 Home Opener

The Caltech men’s soccer team defeated Park University Gilbert 1-0 in its 2024 season opener by way of a breakaway goal from junior forward Jack Myles (Houston / Bridgeland).

The lone goal of the match came with 35:14 remaining in the second half when sophomore midfielder Ethan Feng (San Jose, Calif. / Lynbrook) fed a perfect pass to Myles, who took advantage of the 1-on-1 breakaway and beat the opposing goalkeeper to take the lead. The Beavers locked down the Buccaneers’ final pushes and secured their first victory of the season.

It was a tight match throughout as the Buccaneers opened the match dominating ball possession in the first 10 minutes. The Beavers eventually settled in and created opportunities in the first half, including a shot from senior forward Andy Dimnaku (Wellesley, Mass. / Wellesley) off of a corner kick that sailed just high over the post. Both teams played a strong first half as the Beavers tallied seven shots and the Buccaneers had nine in the opening frame, but the score remained deadlocked heading into halftime.

The Beavers shifted the momentum to open the second half with great ball control and applied pressure on the Buccaneers with early opportunities. Just 36 seconds into the half, rookie midfieldeer Arjun Chatha (San Diego / Canyon Crest Academy) fired a shot from the right wing that just missed left and wide. The Beavers kept pressuring, and it was Myles who broke the tie with his breakaway opportunity. This would be enough offensively to get the job done, as the Beavers defense held strong to put the game away.

The Buccaneers fired 17 shots but only four were on target, and first half sophomore keeper Ethan Hamel (Portola Valley, Calif. / Woodside) saved all four. Second-half sophomore goalie Alex Crowley (Atlanta / Paideia) relieved Hamel in the second half and the Beaver defense locked down Park to secure the shutout, including a critical block by Feng in the box late in the contest.

“Definitely a good start to the season for us,” said head coach Duncan Gillis on the victory. “Lots to work on still, but the boys did enough to get the win and the shutout.” Gillis was pleased with the performances from goalies Hamel and Crowley, and commented on the offensive side that “Jack [Myles] took his chance well, and we could have had more after creating some other good opportunities.”

The Beavers look to keep rolling at home this Sunday, Sep. 1 on the North Field, where they will take on Albion College at 11 a.m. Cheer on the squad in person and follow along online at gocaltech.com/coverage. Follow Caltech Men’s Soccer on Instagram and Caltech Athletics on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram.