Men's Soccer Opens Season with Two Road Victories

MONTEREY, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College men's soccer team opened the fall season with a pair of road victories after a two-day trip up north over the weekend. 

The Bulldogs are scheduled to continue action on Tuesday, August 29th, when they host West Hills College Lemoore for the first contest of a four-game homestand. The match is set to begin at 4 PM on the AHC Soccer Field at the Santa Maria campus. 

GAME ONE: AHC 9, MERRITT 0 | BOX SCORE

The Bulldogs kicked off the 2023 campaign with a lopsided victory on Friday afternoon at Merritt College in Oakland. Miguel Padron led the offensive assault with four goals and one assist while placing five of his seven tries on target. Noe Gaona and Owen Tolman added to the effort with two goals apiece while combining for six shots on goal while Cristian Gonzales chipped in by getting one strike past the keeper. Seven individuals contributed to eight assists on the day with Braden Johnson leading the way by tallying two. 

Luis Garcia earned the start and the win after spending 70 minutes in the box, followed by Giovanni Cortez who closed out the final 20 minutes of play. Neither goalie had the opportunity to record a save as the hosting T-Birds could not produce a shot on goal. 

The program matched two previously set school records to open the season. The team's nine-goal tally ties the current school record that was set against Citrus back in 2010. The four goals from Padron also ties a pair of single-game records that were set by Rosario Bras, also during the 2010 season. 

GAME TWO: AHC 2, MPC 1 | BOX SCORE

Hancock rounded out the weekend away by traveling to Monterey Peninsula College for another non-conference contest on Saturday afternoon. Padron gave the Bulldogs an early lead after sending a pass from Mark Hutchison through to the back of the net in the seventh tick. The Lobos managed to even the odds in the 55th, but Padron netted the game-winner in the 82nd minute after using a pass from Hector Villa to push AHC ahead. 

Giovanni Cortez was credited with the win after collecting three saves and allowing one goal through 90 minutes of action.