Second-Half Comeback Falls Short as Westmont Drops PacWest Opener

By: Hope Hensley September 23, 2026 COSTA MESA, Calif. — The Westmont men’s soccer team opened Pacific West Conference play with a high-scoring, back-and-forth thriller on Wednesday afternoon, ultimately falling 4–3 to Vanguard at VU Soccer Field. The Warriors (2-5-3, 0-1-0 PacWest) struck first in the eighth minute when Julius Oehmichen set up Cole Lomeli for a clinical finish to take an early 1–0 lead. However, Vanguard (2-5-1, 1-0-0 PacWest) responded just 35 seconds later to level the score, initiating a three-goal first-half run that sent Westmont into the locker room trailing 3–1 at the break. “We did really well…