Men's Soccer OEC Opener Ends in Scoreless Draw

The Santiago Canyon College men's soccer team kicked off Orange Empire Conference (OEC) play on Tuesday afternoon as they hosted crosstown rival Santa Ana College Dons. Both teams went blow for blow, but neither notched a score resulting in a scoreless draw.

The Hawks had lost three of the last four matches to the Dons with their last victory coming in September of 2021. Today, it was neither squad that walked away with a victory.

Santiago Canyon owned time of possession and was patient with their approach, but they had some opportunities early compliments of strikes from freshman forward Nick Asam and freshman midfielder Diego Rivera in the opening seven minutes. Freshman forward Ivan Pena added a shot in the 19^th minute, but missed wide. Asam had another great look as the time expired, but it was saved by the goalkeeper at point blank range.

The defensive likes of sophomore duo Trent Cleboski and Rene Coelle was felt by the Don's offensive arsenal as they notched six shots with only two landing on frame. Freshman goalkeeper Juan Pablo Alvarez, who made his seventh-consecutive start between the pipes, handled the two shots on target with ease.

Asam fired off the opening three tries in the second half, but came up short after they were all saved by the Don's keeper. Freshman striker Jorge Garcia Cruz tried his foot in the 59^th minute from nearly midfield, but it sailed over the crossbar by three feet with the goalkeeper pushed off the line.

The Hawks would have one more opportunity in extra time on a free kick taken by sophomore midfielder Wesley Harris, but it landed directly in the middle of the keeper's chest leading to a scoreless tie.

Asam paced the offense with six shots, while Pena, Harris, Garcia Cruz, and Rivera each had one rip each. Alvarez (2-2-2), played well in the second half after knocking away two headers leading to six saves and the tie on his record.

SCC was outfired by Santa Ana, 13-11 while each keeper had six saves.