Nick Asam Registers Hat Trick, Hawks Win Second Straight

The Santiago Canyon College men's soccer team looked to bag its second-consecutive victory on Friday afternoon as they hosted the San Diego Mesa College Spartans in non-conference action. The Hawks flew out of the gate with a score in the opening minute and never looked back leading to a 4-2 triumph.

The opening-minute goal was as quick as you may think as the ball was barely in play before it crossed the goal line. Freshman midfielder Andrew Marentes lofted a beautiful cross into the box that located the foot of freshman midfielder Nick Asam for the netter to hand the Hawks an early 1-0 advantage.

Not shortly after the opening minute, the Hawks etched another goal on the scoreboard as sophomore midfielder Vince Corral banged in a header from sophomore midfielder Jorge Garcia Cruz to push their lead to 2-0.

SD Mesa trimmed the deficit with a nice connecting pass in the box, but Santiago Canyon responded in a strong manner. Asam, who wasted no time early in the first half, added to his goal tally with his second netter of the game in the 32^nd minute. This brought a 3-1 SCC advantage into halftime.

SD Mesa kept pushing early in the second half despite notching two-consecutive offside penalties on counters. They eventually pieced it together and scored their second goal of the game in the 50^th minute.

After a 15-minute scoring draught, the Hawks wiggled their way back into Spartan territory and fired home their fourth netter of the game compliments of Asam, thus completing a hat trick. Sophomore forward Wesley Harris, who had entered in the game moments before the score, lofted a nice crossing ball into the box off of a free kick.

Asam was a menace by netting a career-high three goals, while Garcia Cruz assisted on two of the Hawks four scores. Corral scored his first goal of the season. 

SCC only fired off nine shots to SD Mesa's 21, but they made their attempts count. Additionally, the play of freshman goalkeeper Juan Pablo Alvarez (2-1-0) had much to do with the outcome. He racked up a career-high nine saves leading to his second win of the season.