Santa Barbara City College’s Daniel Loveday rips a shot that gave the Vaqueros a 1-0 lead on Tuesday afternoon. (Presidio Sports Photo)
SBCC was playing its first game in 12 days?on Tuesday?afternoon at La Playa Stadium but the Vaqueros looked like a well-oiled machine as they blanked Hancock 6-0 in their WSC men?s soccer opener.
Daniel Loveday scored in the 13th?minute after taking a short pass from Alex Santana. Santana, a sophomore from Santa Barbara High, curled in a free kick around the wall from 23 yards out and beat the keeper to the right side for a 2-0 lead in the 39th?minute.
It was the first win of the year for the Vaqueros (1-2, 1-0), who only scored two goals in their first two games. Hancock fell to 0-5.
Santana made his first appearance of the season after missing the first two games with a concussion.
?It feels great to get a win in my first game,? said Santana, the younger brother of ex-Vaquero Roberto Santana, a former WSC Player of the Year. ?I saw there was an open gap on that free kick, so I hit it right around the wall.?We had good intensity today and this was a great way to start the conference season.?
Omar Montalvo, a freshman from Dos Pueblos High, set up the third goal by settling a long pass, heading the ball to himself and then sliding it over to a streaking Jamie Sporcic, who beat the keeper in the 55thminute.
SBCC goalie Juan Rodriguez made a leaping save on Hancock?s only shot on goal in the 56th?minute.
Two minutes later, Sporcic and Montalvo teamed up again with Montalvo scoring the goal for a 4-0 lead.
?We changed some things in the second half and gave some guys a run out,? said coach John Sisterson. ?They did quite well but there?s still a lot of things to work on. It?s not how you start, it?s how you finish and we?re looking for a Western State Conference championship.?
Montalvo added a second goal in the 88th?minute on an assist by Chris Ekdahl. Ellis Mavers, a sophomore from Liverpool, England, completed the scoring with a rebound goal in the 89th?minute.
SBCC outshot the Bulldogs 14-4, including 8-1 in shots on goal.
The Vaqueros travel to Canyons?on Friday?for a?2 p.m.?game.
