The sun was setting and the energy for a win was still high as the SAC men’s soccer team took on the Oxnard Condors Sep. 17 in a thrilling 4-2 battle.
The game started slow with the Condors holding possession in the beginning, scoring the first goal near the 10-minute mark.
Fast, physical, and focused the Condors looked very confident and that first goal only added to their momentum.
But SAC didn’t let that goal shake them. They scored an own goal in the 45th minute of the first half by Sophomore forward Moises Prado (9) and sophomore midfielder Nathan Nunez (8). Prado (9) scooped out Nunez (8) for the assist for SAC’s first goal of the night.
“One of the biggest things was, we had to pick up the speed of play to create the chances and move them [the Condors] a little bit more and that’s what happened,” head coach Juan Sanchez said.
The score was 1-1 at the half and with SAC on a three-game tie streak, they were looking to end that streak and make the Condors their first season win.
“[I’m] happy that [the team] understood the moment that needed to happen,” coach Sanchez said about the players coming out for the second-half.
Understanding the moment is exactly what SAC did. They not only scored the last goal of the first half, but scored the first goal of the second half. With the assist of the goal going to sophomore forward Alfonso Ramirez (19) and the goal scorer freshman defender Hunter Lemos (13), SAC was now up 2-1.
A victory was in sight but the mission wasn’t over yet.
“It all comes down to everybody putting in, having a strong mentality, putting the team first rather than yourself,” Ramirez (19) said.
SAC remained steady and focused, earning them another goal in the 77th minute. This time, sophomore midfielder Alexis Gomez (11) made the assist to midfielder Rafael Avalos (17) for the team’s third goal. The score was 3-1.
The Condors tried to make a comeback, scoring one more goal and scored one more goal, but SAC was determined to break their three game tie streak Just three minutes after the Condors scored their second goal, SAC launched the ball into the net, bringing the score to 4-2 would scored another one more goal in the second half, three minutes after the Condors scored their lead in the 84th minute.
“It’s just pure happiness, pure passion,” Ramirez (19) said about the win against the Condors. “Assisted my boy Hunter [Lemos (13)]. I was happy to see him get his first goal.”
Coach Sanchez was also relieved that the team scored several times. “This is a positive thing for us,”coach Sanchez said. “Because we finally got more than one goal.”
The next game for SAC will be another home game today, Sep. 19 at 4 p.m. against the Santa Barbara Vaqueros.
“Santa Barbara is going to be a good game for us on Friday,” coach Sanchez said.” So we’re thinking positive.”
