ORANGE, Calif.. – The Chapman University men's soccer team fell 4-2 to visiting Stanton in its 2026 home-opener. Hudson Weinberger and Enzo Lopes each scored their first career goals.
After the match was delayed for 24 hours due to Wednesday's extreme heat, the teams met on Thursday afternoon for the first home event of the 2026-27 school year for all of the Chapman Athletics department.
The first goal went to the Elks and Weinberger's first career goal knotted the match up at 1-1. Weinberger dribbled into the penalty area and fired a quick shot with his left foot to beat the keeper and draw the Panthers even.
Stanton responded just 20 seconds later. An initial shot deflected off the crossbar and was put away by Yanis Aubaret to retake a 2-1 lead.
Stanton added a penalty kick goal just 10 seconds before halftime to take a 3-1 lead into the locker room. In the 58th minute, the Panthers put together a quick combination to put Lopes into just enough space to fire off a shot through traffic and into the back of the net.
Both teams continued to seek for another goal and Chapman pushed everyone, including the goalkeeper, forward for a corner kick. The defense cleared away the corner and left several Elks rushing toward an open net to put the game away for Stanton.
Rhys Lindhorst and Otto Richter combined for five saves with Richter making three in the second half and allowing only the open net goal. Chapman put seven shots on goal with a pair of Stanton goalkeepers making five saves.
The Panthers open up the SCIAC schedule on Wednesday against Caltech and return home on Sep. 23 to take on Cal Lutheran.
