Northridge Goes Down Fighting in 2-0 Fracas : Soccer: Matadors are bruised, beaten and elbowed aside in losing their second consecutive home game.

NORTHRIDGE —  The bullies are no more.

Cal State Northridge, a soccer team that used to beat up just about any opponent who dared venture into North Campus Stadium, no longer reigns as king of its own turf.

The Matadors not only lost, 2-0, to the University of San Diego on Friday night, they were roundly beaten up in the process. When it was over, two Northridge players were bleeding from gashes in their faces and another was gingerly cradling his right arm.

Fright night, fight night.

Marwan Ass’ad, Northridge’s coach, complained bitterly afterward that San Diego’s Toreros, like UC Irvine players before them in a 3-2 Northridge defeat, battered their Matador counterparts with elbows.

As evidence, Ass’ad needed only to point in the direction of defender Ross Linhart, his face splattered in red from a cut on his forehead.

By the match’s 80th minute, Matador forward Keith West had taken enough. He squared off against San Diego’s Stephen Shipley and both players traded blows. Ditto about 30 seconds later, for Northridge’s Anthony Carrillo and San Diego’s Emile Wakim.

All four players were given red cards and ejected. Linhart followed about three minutes later after being called for tripping.

Northridge ended the game with eight players--the minimum allowed. San Diego had only a one-player advantage.

But by then the match had long since been decided.

Guillermo Jara scored for San Diego 25 minutes into the match, driving a shot from 18 yards over the outstretched arms of Northridge goalie Mark Macdonald. The Toreros (5-3) added an insurance goal in the 60th minute when Shipley kicked in a rebound after Macdonald blocked his first try.

“We blink twice and they score twice,” Ass’ad said. “When you make mistakes against a good team, it can cost you the game, and today it did.”

Northridge (5-3), was shut out for the second time this season, although the Matadors outshot the Toreros, 10-6, and had plenty of chances.

San Diego defender Jimmy Wang thwarted Northridge’s best chance with a tremendous individual effort in the match’s 57th minute.

With Torero goalie Tom Tate out of position, West lofted a perfect pass in front of the goal, but Keith Rosenberg’s header was body-blocked by Wang.

“We took some good shots,” Ass’ad said. “We’re playing better. We need to be sharper and more consistent. I’m not down at all.”

Certainly, he would seem to have reason to be. In its final nonconference tuneup next Tuesday against Loyola Marymount, Northridge will be without the three players given red cards. West might be out much longer.

He was led away from the fracas in pain and favoring his right shoulder. Ass’ad said the injury appeared to be either a dislocation or break.