ALISO VIEJO, CA- Soka University's Araceli Soto scored twice to break through the CalTech Beavers' defense, and lift the Lady Lions to their fourth win of the 2019 season on Wednesday evening at the Lion's Den Soccer Stadium.

CalTech caught the Lionesses off guard in the twelfth minute of the match, after Jackie Wang slipped her pass between Soka's last defender and goal keeper Cami Finnell. The Beavers' Krystin Brown got on the end of Wang's pass, and placed her shot low and into the goal for the early 1-0 lead.

Twelve minutes before the end of the first half, Soka's Araceli Soto-Garcia netted the equalizer after she intercepted a long touch from CalTech's defender. She collected the ball to her right, and cleared herself for the shot from ten yards outside the 18-yard box. Soto blasted her shot high, and over the head of the Beavers' goal keeper Valerie Hetherington to level the score.

In the 62^nd minute, Soka's left outside back Iris Cox found herself with the ball on the left flank. She carried the ball with speed, beating her defender on the dribble, and drew a foul inside of the 18-yard box for a penalty kick. Soto stepped up to the spot, took a deep breath, and slotted her shot into the corner, and converted her chance and the Lady Lions' go-ahead goal.

"We started on the back foot in the first half," said Head Coach David McLeish. "However, we found our Soka spirit in the second half, and turned up the heat for the win. I am really proud of the work our Soka Lady Lions put in tonight in order to give us our fourth win of the season."

Up next, Soka will host Ottawa University on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
 
 



NOTES: This is the first meeting between the Lady Lions and the Beavers… Soka outshot CalTech 23-12… The Lady Lions boast the strongest starting record (4-1) in the history of the program after their first five matches, with the previous being a record of 3-2 set by both the 2011 and 2014 squads… Soto has now scored seven goals in five games… she has 15 points on the season…Soto scored her fourth game-winning goal of the year…  Soto ranks number 1 in the NAIA in total game-winning goals (4), and number 4 in game-winning goals per game… she also ranks 23^rd in total goals, 26^th in goals per game, 31^st in points per game, 35^th in total points and 45^th in shots on goal per game.