Aliso Viejo, Calif. – Arizona Christian University (0-2; 0-2 A.I.I.) committed major defensive mistakes resulting in goals early in each half, and host Soka University (1-2) went on to a 4-1 victory over the Firestorm, Thursday, Sept. 8, in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Arizona Christian continues its weekend road trip with a Friday, Sept. 9 match against Bethesda Christian University at 1 p.m., at Soka’s soccer field.

Soka University outshot ACU, 10-3, in the first 45 minutes, but ACU came back to outshoot the Lions, 10-4, in the second half. However, Soka led 8-2 in shots directly on goal. Both teams attempted three corner kicks and committed seven fouls. Soka scored first at the 11-minute mark on a 25-foot blast from Sho Hagihara off an assist by defender Travis Ko, then tallied at 28:36 and 37:47, and added its fourth marker just 30 seconds into the second half when forward Marco Ocampo found the back of the net off Ko’s second assist of the match.

ACU cut the lead to 4-1 just 2:48 into the second half, when junior midfielder Sidney Jones (La Ceiba, Honduras/Gatlinburg Pitman H.S., Tenn.) fired home his first goal of the season off an assist from freshman Alfonso Romero (Douglas, Ariz./Douglas H.S.). Junior Mark Sekelsky (Phoenix, Ariz./Scottsdale Christian Academy) narrowly missed a goal at the 63-minute mark when his head shot off an expert crossing pass from the right side by junior Tim Vidaurreta (Phoenix, Ariz./Home Schooled). Romero attempted 3 of ACU’s shots, and Jones and Sekelsky each attempted two.

ACU head coach Jonathan Lenarz commented, “We dug too big of a hole early in each half with our defensive mistakes. I am pleased that our offense is coming along, and we did score the one excellent combination goal early in the second half. We controlled the ball quite a bit of the game and played them even, but our mistakes really cost us. Soka seemed content to counterattack and capitalize on ACU’s errors in possession.”

Sophomore goalkeeper Jorge Arauz (Las Vegas, Nev./Durango H.S.) saved four Soka shots on goal, three in the first half, and Soka’s Tim Sasser earned one save.

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