FULLERTON, Calif. - The OUAZ men's soccer team fell on Thursday afternoon to Hope International University by a final of 4-2 in Fullerton, California.
With the loss, the Spirit fall to 2-2 overall on the season. With the victory, Hope International University improves to a perfect 3-0 on the season.
"As talented as this group is, we are learning as we go," said OUAZ head men's soccer coach Matt Gow. "Today we learned a valuable lesson on how we start games. Giving up three goals in the first ten minutes is not how we want to ever start."
Gow continued, "In my opinion, we played better the rest of the game, but missed a couple of opportunities late in the first half. We have learned some very valuable lessons in these first few games and I love watching this team get better and better every day."
Thursday's match got off to a fast start! Combined, OUAZ and Hope International scored four total goals in the games' first 15 minutes.
The Royals got on the board first within the game's first minute, on an own goal scored by OUAZ. Hope International lit up the scoreboard yet again in the fifth minute, to take a commanding 2-0 lead.
OUAZ responded with a goal of their own in the eighth minute, off of the foot of Ricardo Navarro (FR/Inglewood, CA) to make the score 2-1. HIU then added yet another goal in the 14th minute, to extend their lead back to a pair, at 3-1.
The Spirit would knock on one more goal before halftime, when Giovanni Ruelas (FR/Manteca, CA) found Samuel George(FR/Sittingbourne, England), to make the score 3-2 in favor of Hope International at the break.
In the second half, Hope International would add an insurance goal in the 77th minute, to seal the 4-2 victory.
In the loss, the Spirit outshot the Royals 14-8, and they finished with five corner kicks to just two for Hope International.
OUAZ remains in the state of California, as they travel to face San Diego Christian College this Saturday for a 12 noon match-up in Santee.
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About Ottawa University
Founded in 1865, Ottawa University prepares professional and liberal arts graduates for lifetimes of personal significance, vocational fulfillment and service to God and humanity within a Christ-inspired community of grace and open inquiry. Ottawa University is a comprehensive, not-for-profit educational institution serving 3,000 students through its residential campuses in Ottawa, Kan., and Surprise, Ariz., and adult campuses in Overland Park, Kan.; Phoenix, Queen Creek and Surprise, Ariz.; Brookfield, Wis.; Jeffersonville, Ind.; as well as online. For more information, visit www.ottawa.edu.
For more information about OUAZ athletics, visit http://www.ottawa.edu/ouaz/athletics. Follow OUAZ athletics on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OUAZSpiritAthletics/ and on Twitter twitter.com/OUAZSpirit.
