Riverside, Calif. - After squandering a two-goal lead, Abel Cornejo secures the win with an overtime goal in the 104thminute. Cornejo's overtime goal broke a 2-2 tie, after the Firebirds tied the scored a late second half goal. The Golden Eagles pushed their record to a perfect 6-0 against the University of St. Katherine, who will host La Sierra, on October 4.
Israel Vasquez scored his first of two first half goals when he found the back of the net on a penalty kick in the 22ndminute. With a 1:32 remaining in the first half, Vasquez pushed the lead to 2-0 with his second goal of the game.
But the Firebirds weren't about to go quietly as they mounted a comeback with two goals in a span of 18 minutes. St. Katherine's Antonio Chavez scored in the 68thminute to cut the lead in half, followed by the tying goal, in the 86thminute, by Hugo Calderon.
The two teams played the first overtime period to a scoreless draw, before Abel Cornejo sent everyone home for the night with the game-winner in the opening minutes of the second overtime period.
The Golden Eagles finished with a slight advantage in total shots, 17-14, over the Firebirds. La Sierra also finished with a 10-8 edge in shots-on-goal. The two goalkeepers were kept busy throught the match, with the Firebirds Carlos Lozano finishing with seven save, to La Sierra's Javier Lopez, who stopped six total shots.
This coming Thursday, the men's soccer team will host #22 Arizona Christian University in a non-conference match, starting at approximately 8pm. Last season, the Firestorm picked up their first win, 4-1, against the Golden Eagles.
