ARCATA – A lack of composure for the second straight match doomed the Humboldt State men's soccer team on Sunday in Redwood Bowl.  Three yellow cards and a red contributed to a 3-1 loss to the Pioneers of Cal State East Bay.

The loss leaves the Jacks 1-3-2 overall, 1-2-1 in California Collegiate Athletic Association action.  CSUEB improves to 2-5-0, 1-3-0 in conference play.

“I would like to see the boys play a match the way we see them perform in practice,” head coach Christian Johnson said.  “What we do in training does not happen on game day.  I would like to see us play with some heart and be mentally prepared on game days.

“We are capable of winning games, but today we saw a lack of composure and bad decisions in the possession game. Our play on the back line and goalkeeping mistakes killed us, as well.”

Despite out shooting the Pioneers 13-to-6 in the first half, the Jacks got no shots on-goal.  CSUEB's six shots were all on-goal.

At the 18:06 mark Alexis Romo took a long throughball from Josh Alvarez down the right side and beat Jacks keeper David Zwick high to the far post for a 1-0 lead.

Brian Holmes had HSU's first good chance.  At the 20:07 mark his free kick from 19 yards away sailed just high.

In the 26th minute, Holmes centered a ball to Lyle Menk that he also shot high.

In the last two minutes of the half Josh Suggs had two opportunities, both were headers from around 12 yards out and both were saved by Pioneers' keeper Bryce Bookhamer.

In the second half the Jacks got the equalizer on Suggs' second penalty kick in as many matches.

At the 48:57 mark he hammered a ball low and left to beat Bookhamer and tie the match.

CSUEB took the lead for good in the 59th minute on a goal off a free kick by Michael Dowson.  From the top of the 18, he found the lower right corner to beat Zwick.

The Pioneers added another goal in the 66th minute for the 3-1 margin.

In the 50th minute, with the game tied 1-1, HSU picked up it second yellow card and then its third in the 72nd minute before a red card at the 73:33 mark.

“In the last few games stupid fouls have killed us,” Johnson said. “The cards are ridiculous and now we have three players with red cards who have to sit out.  You add that to the massive list of injuries we have and it is a recipe for disaster.  If we can't keep our composure and play the way we are capable of, this will continue to happen.”