IRVINE, Calif. – Hope International tied a season-high for goals in a 6-3 win over Park Gilbert in GSAC men's soccer action on Thursday at the OC Great Park.
The Royals built a 5-0 lead at halftime, and led 6-0 six minutes into the second half.
The Buccaneers battled back with three second half goals of their own, but HIU celebrated the victory for seniors Berlin Torres, Brandon Galindo, Giovanni Oliva, Gio Marin, Christian Hernandez, Vincent Lopez, Sam Mai and Jack Tarango.
The seniors shined as Hernandez, Lopez, Mai and Tarango accounted for four of the six scores, while Hernandez also assisted on an Erik Conriquez 30th minute goal.
HIU got on the board just two and a half minutes into the match as a cross into the box deflected off a Buccaneer defender into the net. The own goal gave the Royals a quick 1-0 lead.
The Royals doubled their lead in the ninth minute as Matthias Alcaraz's corner kick ricocheted off a Park Gilbert player to Hernandez, who pounced on the loose ball and rifled a liner into the right side of the net.
Lopez and Roberto Estrada connected for the third HIU goal at the 25:16 mark. Estrada slid his pass from left to right, and Lopez got enough of his foot on it to sneak it past Park Gilbert goalkeeper Nicklas Lagesen. It was Lopez's sixth goal of the season.
The onslaught continued four minutes later as Hernandez found Conriquez on the doorstep for the 4-0 lead. It was the second score of the season for Conriquez.
HIU (5-5-7, 4-4-4 GSAC) scored goal number five less than a minute before half as Lagesen punched out an HIU cross. But Mai was the beneficiary of the rollout and his rocket found the netting.
After outshooting the Buccaneers 10-5 in the first half, Park Gilbert discovered its offense in the second frame. But first came Tarango's first career goal. A perfectly placed thorough ball latched onto Lopez, who encountered backup Buccaneer netminder Zac Stephenson in a 1v1 situation. Stephenson stopped Lopez's attempt, but Mai knocked in the rebound to give the Royals a 6-0 lead.
Lopez tallied his first assist of the season.
Park Gilbert (6-7-4, 5-4-3 GSAC) scored two of its goals on successful penalty kick attempts from Caden Dosmann in the 63rd and 74th minutes.
Ilan Rodriguez-Roda also scored in the 69th minute for Park Gilbert
Hernandez led the Royals with three shots. Fourteen players accounted for the 19 total shots.
Tyler Beehler was HIU's starting goalie for the first 68 minutes, allowing one goal and making two saves. Wyatt Schaap played the final 22 minutes between the pipes. Stephenson made four saves while playing the second half in net for the Buccaneers.
HIU's season finale takes place on Saturday against Arizona Christian. Kickoff at the OC Great Park is at noon.
