Dylan Murphy scored in the 19th and 53rd minutes on Friday night, sparking SBCC to a 3-1 men’s soccer win over Moorpark at La Playa Stadium.
It was the fourth win in five matches for the first-place Vaqueros (6-4, 6-2 WSC).
Santa Barbara unleashed 15 shots in the first half while holding the Raiders (6-5-1, 4-3) to five. For the game, the Vaqueros outshot the visitors 27-9, including 13-3 in shots on goal.
“We were more direct tonight and it was more effective,” said Murphy, a 5-11 sophomore from Australia who moved from center-back to forward five games ago. “Instead of overplaying and worrying about maintaining possession, we were more proactive with the ball.”
Richard Caine set-up Murphy’s first goal with a high, long cross from left to right. Murphy settled the ball on the right side and beat the keeper from 6 yards out.
“That was a lovely ball and I somehow finished it,” Murphy said. “It wasn’t pretty but it went in the back of the net.”
Freshman defender Jelan Hutton made it 2-0 in the 36th minute by heading in a cross from Adam Colton. Rene Argueta scored three minutes later for Moorpark, cutting the Vaquero lead to 2-1 at the half.
In the 53rd minute, Colton bounced a corner kick in front of the goal and Murphy scored from point-blank range. Murphy had chances at a hat trick in the 80th and 82nd minutes but the Raiders’ keeper made a couple of solid stops.
