With his team trailing 2-0 at halftime on Friday, Nicolas Genthon made a smashing collegiate debut by scoring a hat trick in the second half that propelled SBCC to a 4-2 men’s soccer victory in its season opener at L.A. Harbor.
Two days earlier, he asked the Vaquero coaches if he could move from defender to forward and play offense. They gave him a chance and liked what they saw. Genthon, a 6-foot freshman from Houston, entered the game at the start of the second half and promptly poured in three goals in 19 minutes.
He scored on an assist from Daniel Gail in the 60th minute, then Kebba Nyang tied it up two minutes later on a through ball from Genthon.
Genthon put the Vaqueros ahead to stay in the 71st minute by converting a cross from Nyang. Genthon’s final goal was his best of the day – a 30-yard shot over the keeper’s head in the 78th minute. He flipped the ball over a defender, then volleyed it out of the air and into the goal.
“That was amazing, a professional-quality goal,” said SBCC coach John Sisterson. “I was delighted with our comeback and especially with the play of Nick (3 goals, 1 assist). He wanted a chance and he made the most of it. What made it even greater was his mom came all the way from Texas to see his college debut and he ends up getting a hat trick.”
The Vaqueros travel to Taft for a 3 p.m. game on Tuesday.
