CALDWELL, Idaho – Eastern Oregon men's soccer opened the 2025 season with a statement, shutting out Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 3-0 on neutral turf Saturday evening at Simplot Stadium. The Mountaineers controlled play from start to finish, out shooting the Eagles 18-5 while posting a clean sheet defensively.
EOU (1-0-0) broke through in the 20th minute when Rene Prieto slotted home the opening goal off an assist from JJ Gallardo. The Mounties carried the 1-0 lead into halftime.
The second half saw EOU strike again in the 68th minute, as Angel Sandoval finished a service from Daniel Kropf to double the advantage. Just over 10 minutes later, Marcos Bravo put the game out of reach with an unassisted goal in the 80th minute, rounding out the scoring.
On the defensive side, goalkeepers Anthony Lemus and Victor Melendez combined for a flawless performance, without needing to make a save, as EOU held Embry-Riddle (0-1-1) without a single shot on goal. The Mounties' defense stifled the Eagles throughout, conceding only five total shots.
Eastern Oregon finished with nine shots on goal, forcing ERAU keeper Alex Bissett into six saves. The Mounties were aggressive from the start, tallying 11 shots in the first half alone and maintaining possession for most of the match.
The contest also featured a physical tone, with nine yellow cards issued between the two teams, including five to Eastern Oregon.
The Mountaineers will look to build on their strong start next week as non-conference play continues with a trip to California to face four other NAIA opponents.
