Espinoza scores twice as Vaqueros rally past Hancock 4-2

Carlos Espinoza scored two goals on Tuesday, including the game-winner in the 75th minute, and SBCC rallied for a 4-2 win over Hancock in its WSC men's soccer opener at Santa Maria.

The Vaqueros, ranked 10th in Southern Cal, won their fourth straight and remained undefeated with a 7-0-3 record. Hancock fell to 8-3-2.

Espinoza, a sophomore midfielder from Royal High in Simi Valley, gave the Vaqueros a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute by taking a through ball from Victor Chavez and pumping in a 20-yard shot. Hancock's Miguel Gomez tied the game 1-1 in the 21st minute and the Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead on a goal in the 48th minute.

"We started off brightly with Victor nearly getting a goal in the second minute," said coach John Sisterson. "Then we fell asleep a little and fell behind. We did a good of regrouping and scoring three times in the last 30 minutes."

Zachary Sneddon tied it at 2 on an assist from Jessie Jimenez in the 65th minute. Matthew Wilkinson set up Espinoza's go-ahead goal in the 75th minute.

The Vaqueros added an insurance tally in the 87th minute when ex-Santa Barbara High star Celso Lagunas scored his first college goal.

SBCC returns to action on Friday when it hosts Oxnard in a 7 p.m. WSC game.