IRVINE, Calif. – La Sierra scored three unanswered goals to overcome an early deficit and hand the Hope International men's soccer team a 3-1 loss on Tuesday at the OC Great Park.
The Royals held a 22-11 shots advantage and generated multiple dangerous scoring opportunities throughout the contest, but could not convert with the exception of a goal in the seventh minute from Julian Benitez.
The Golden Eagles got two of their goals from Elias Quintanar Macias, sandwiched around a score from Daniel Garcia as they improved to 6-5-1 overall and 3-5-1 in the GSAC.
The Royals slid to 5-4-3 on the season and 2-3-3 in conference action.
HIU opened the scoring at the 6:13 mark after Jovanni Molina and Uri Sanchez played a number of give-and-go passes outside the 18-yard box. Molina eventually worked his way in tight to the goal and slid a backwards pass to Benitez, who deflected his shot off La Sierra goalie Angel Ayon and into the net.
The Royals fell victim to a set piece on La Sierra's game-tying goal in the 13th minute. Following an HIU foul, Quintanar Macias lined up from about 25 yards out on the left side. He bent his shot around the HIU wall and off the left post, with the ball trickling backwards into the net.
Erick Cabrera nearly regained the lead for the Royals in the 18th minute as his shot clanged off the right post.
But it was the Golden Eagles which grabbed the 2-1 lead at the 30:30 mark, taking advantage of another set piece opportunity. Taking a corner kick from the left side, Angel Trejo found Garcia on the doorstep, and his header beat HIU goalie Tyler Beehler for the score.
The Royals came out aggressive in the second half, outshooting the Golden Eagles 13-6.Â
Sanchez fired a shot off the crossbar in the 51st minute.
Ayon, who made seven saves in the game, punched a Christopher Ferrufino header over the crossbar in the 81st minute. He also made a point blank save on another Sanchez attempt, and stopped a dangerous Matthias Alcaraz shot in the 87th minute.
The Royals committed a foul inside the 18-yard box in the 67th minute, which awarded a penalty kick opportunity to Quintanar Macias. He converted the attempt for his second goal of the game and the 3-1 lead.
Chasing the two goal deficit, the Royals had the Golden Eagles on their heels but could not dent the scoreboard. HIU looked to have a second goal in the 89th minute as Ferrufino's header met the head of Freddy Mora, who beat Ayon to the left but was called offside on the play.
HIU opens up a four-game roadtrip on Saturday, traveling to Life Pacific for a noon game on the Pomona-Pitzer Soccer Field.
