ELAC men’s soccer team gets 6-2 win
MONTEREY PARK, CA — The East Los Angeles College men’s soccer team erased a 2-2 tie at the half with four goals scored in the final 45 minutes for a 6-2 win against Los Angeles Harbor College.
ELAC remains unbeaten at 4-0-3 overall while Harbor drops to 1-2-3.
Harbor came out of the gate running and quickly scored a goal in the 10th minute from defender Ariel Vasquez’s goal off a corner assist from Luis Coronado.
ELAC wasted no time with a counter, which was a goal in the 11th minute from freshman forward Kevin Rodriquez (Hawkins HS).
Rodriguez pounded in a cross from an assist by freshman midfielder Edwin Vasquez (Jefferson HS).
Harbor scored its second goal from the foot of Giovanny Salazar who connected from a corner assist by Adrian Acuna. Harbor lead in the 15th minute, 2-1. Two Husky mistakes on defense cost ELAC two goals.
The Huskies, however, answered with a goal in the 20th minute from a sophomore forward Valentin Mercado header off a cross assist from sophomore midfielder Edward Robles (Wallis Annenberg HS).
It was 2-2 heading into the locker room at the half. ELAC outshot Harbor 6-3 in the first 45 minutes.
Both teams had five shots on goal in the first half. ELAC freshman goalkeeper Luis Angels Alvarez (Aspire Ollin HS) saved three of them as did the two Harbor goalkeepers.
In the second half, the Huskies were a different team.
“At half time, assistant coach Ricardo Raygoza told us to clean up our act,” said sophomore Luis Alvarado (Elizabeth Learning Center). “We looked bad out there in the first half arguing with each other.”
“We learned from his speech,” said Alvarado. “In the second half, we communicated more and most of the plays were coming out.”
The Huskies no look passes got loud responses from the home fans.
“We are capable of achieving greater things working together as a team rather than individually,” said freshman forward Mauricio Cerritos (El Salvador / Inst. Nacional Dr. Sarvello Navarrete).
A minute into the second half, the Huskies capitalized on its first chance. The crowd erupted and ELAC led 3-2.
Alvarado scored a goal from a cross assist by freshman midfielder Edy Martinez (Animo Jackie Robinson HS).
Alvarado scored the next goal for ELAC in the 70th minute from an assist by Robles for a 4-2 Husky lead.
“My goals came from two counter attacks that were executed good,” said Alvarado. “Luckily I was in the right place at the right moment to put them away and give our team the lead.”
Five minutes later Robles sliced a goal into the net and ELAC led 5-2 in the 75th minute.
ELAC continued their unselfish play.
Rodriguez scored from a header off a perfect assist from Alvarado in the 83rd minute.
In summary, ELAC is a dangerous when they flow as a team.
“The first half of the game was really tough, they (Harbor) put a lot of energy at the beginning,” said sophomore defender Augustin Barros (Santiago, Chile / St. George College. “In the second half, we focused better on what to do.”
“We try to fight for our goals as a team and that means to stay humble and keep working every day,” said Barros. “We learn something new so every game we are better prepared.”
The Huskies play one game next week, at Glendale Community College (1-4-1) on Tuesday. Sept. 19 beginning at 7 p.m.
Follow ELAC Athletics at http://athletics.elac.edu/landing/index and ELAC Huskies Athletics on Facebook.
story submitted by Tadzio Garcia