Phoenix, AZ- Arizona Christian Men's Soccer held off #25 The Master's on Saturday with a 3-2 victory.  Junior Brian Booker was superb in goal with nine huge saves.  Three different Firestorm found the net as Senior Roberto Valenzuela, Sophomore Alex Segura, and Junior Anthony Archuleta scored.

The Firestorm (6-5, 1-3 GSAC) came out firing on all cylinders as 94 seconds into the match Sophomore Damian Sanchez hit a shot requiring a save.  The Mustangs (8-2-2, 3-1 GSAC) matched the intensity as Booker notched his first save at the 5:30 mark denying a 1-on-1 breakaway chance.  A few minutes later, Booker was up to the challenge again and made another save on a free kick that carried to goal.

Just 24 seconds later, Sophomore Alonso Quintero fed Valenzuela who danced around a few defenders and finished into the right corner of the goal. 

Back-to-back driven shots by Archuleta and Sanchez in the 13th minute required Casey Phillips to make two saves just seconds apart.

The keepers coming up big was a sign of how the rest of the match would be played with both GKs making solid saves all day long to keep their teams in the match.

In the 21st minute, ACU caught a break when a shot from Benjamin Tembo- the GSAC's leading scorer -hit the post.

By halftime, aside from the 1-0 ACU lead, the number were nearly identical as the two teams both had nine shots and the goalkeepers each recorded six saves.

Despite three attempts from TMU early in the half, Arizona Christian capitalized on their first opportunity of the second half.  Senior Ryan Scarpulla served a long cross from the right side that Junior Luis Bobadilla headed back into the middle and Segura one timed into the back of the net for a 2-0 edge.

The teams exchanged shots every couple of minutes capped by Sanchez also hitting the right post of the north goal.

Tembo threaded the needle with a long ball on the ground that tucked just inside the right side of the goal to create a 2-1 game in the 61st minute.

However, in the 82nd minute, after a long throw-in, Archuleta made four or five moves around defenders before rocketing a shot into the back of the net for his team leading eighth goal of the season.

But the Mustangs just kept coming and scored a minute later for a 3-2 game.  The Mustangs outshot the Firestorm 19-10 in the final 45 minutes but ACU held on for the win.

The victory over the #25 Mustangs was the first win against a Top 25 foe for the Firestorm since 2013 when Arizona Christian beat then NAIA's #8 Biola 2-0.  Ironically, the match just before the upset of Biola five seasons ago was the last ACU win against TMU (2-1 in Santa Clarita).

Head Coach Andrew Belleman offered these thoughts, "I so proud of the team for the strong mentality the showed today.  It was a tough game and The Master's is very good- especially going forward.  Our backs- Senior Hasani Nunez, Junior Carlos Morales, Sophomore Andrew Archuleta, and Freshman Alberto Valtierra, Jr.- and Brian did a good job and battled hard.  A lot of guys had to step up and step in at moments they haven't had to previously and they held their own and more."

Coach Belleman added, "For me, this is a program defining win, we are building something special and a game like this gives us a little something extra to take with us the rest of the way through conference play.  It was a great AS ONE win!"

Next week, Arizona Christian will make their way to Northern California for a match against William Jessup and Menlo.  The Firestorm will face the WJU Warriors on Thursday at 4:00 pm.