ALISO VIEJO, CA-The Soka University Lions dropped their California Pacific Conference Breast Cancer Awareness match 4-3 in a barn burner against Simpson University Saturday afternoon.

Soka's squad took the field donning pink socks in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, along with decorating the stadium with pink Soka Athletics signs, and encouraging their fans to #thinkpink by wearing pink to the game to show support.

Simpson took the early lead, scoring back-to-back goals in the 26^th and 27^th minutes of the match. The Red Hawks' Jesus Chillon netted the first goal after receiving a lofted ball behind Soka's defense from Alfred Kander. Chillon collected the ball with his chest, and finished his chance to put his team on the scoreboard. One minute later, Simpson was awarded a penalty kick, and Lucas Dias converted his shot low, and into the left corner for the 2-0 lead.

Soka's Leonardo Ortiz tallied the Lions' first goal after Harrison Gilmer dropped his pass back to Ortiz from the touchline.  Ortiz collected the ball to his right, and from 35-yards out blasted his shot high, which dipped over Simpson's goalkeeper Nyjel Buchanan, bringing the score to 2-1.

Four minutes later, the Lions were awarded a penalty kick after attacking midfielder Gerardo De La Torre drew a foul inside the box with some fancy footwork to get around his defender. Soka's PK ace Hunter Stewart stepped up to the spot. Stewart placed his shot low, and into the back of the net to equalize.

Building off of their momentum, the Lions scored the go-ahead goal three minutes later when Masahiro Otsuka connected his cross to Carter Johnson. Johnson fired his shot high, and into the upper left corner of the goal, giving the Lions the 3-2 lead.

However, Soka's lead was not long lived, as Simpson's Kander drilled his next opportunity on frame into the back post, past an outstretched Maxwel Barainca to level the score once again.

With six minutes remaining on the clock, the Red Hawks' Jimmy Tristan connected with Dias at the corner of the six yard box. Dias slipped his shot low, back post, netting the game-winner, and bringing the final score to 4-3.

"That was a tough one today," said head coach Ian Eggleston. "We got undone by two simple through balls in the first half, but, I knew we could change a few things at halftime in order to challenge Simpson in the second. During halftime we spoke about how sweet it would be to come back from the two goal deficit and get the win, and I thought our guys were excellent in the second half, and did a great job to get us ahead with fourteen minutes left to play. Kander's strike from 25 yards out really took the wind out of our sails, and eventually, we just ran out of juice. That was a decent Simpson team, and credit to them for getting two wins on the road this week."        

The Lions will close out regular season play on Friday, Nov. 2, 2018 against the UC Merced Bobcats. Kickoff is set for 4:45 p.m.
 
 
 



NOTES: This is the seventh meeting between the Lions and Red Hawks… Soka's overall record against Simpson is 5-2…The last time the Lions lost to the Red Hawks was in their first meeting in 2011… Soka's Stewart notched his sixth penalty kick of the season and eighth goal of 2018… Soka's Ortiz netted his sixth goal… Johnson tallied his first career goal… Soka's Barainca made six saves on the day… yellow cards were shown to Soka's Stewart and Zach Engfelt and Simpson's Kander.