IRVINE, Calif. — The Soka University women's soccer team fell 2–1 to Hope International on Thursday at OC Great Park Stadium, marking the Lions' first Great Southwest Athletic Conference (GSAC) match of the season.
Hope International opened the scoring in the 13th minute when Angely Puga converted her sixth goal of the season. The Royals extended the lead to 2–0 in the 54th minute on a goal from Hypasha Garcia. Soka answered four minutes later, as Valentina Ibañez converted an assist from
Bijou Bolton in the 58th minute to cut the deficit to 2–1, but the Lions were unable to find an equalizer.
Hope International held the edge in most statistical categories, out-shooting Soka 12–11 and winning the shots-on-goal battle 6–5. The Royals also won the corner kick count, 8–5. Soka goalkeeper
Jazlynn Camacho made 4 saves in the loss, while Hope International goalkeeper Victoria Ruiz also finished with 4 saves. Ibañez led Soka's offense with 3 shots, 2 on goal, to go with her goal.
"First half I felt we were poor and I'll take responsibility for that in terms of maybe over complicating things in the first half with what we asked defensively. I felt we could have defended both goals better, a great shot but we could have pressed better and a lucky cross into a dangerous area, maybe a lack of communication or taking responsibility from us but both defendable," said head coach
Liam Delury.
"I don't think there was much between the teams in an attacking sense throughout the game but I felt second half we were the better team and the team that looked more like scoring. However, we move on and take the positives out of the game in the way we showed up in the second half and continued to play with a level of class. Now, we are looking forward to the next game where we are hoping to bounce back and hopefully get the first win of the season against a well-coached Life Pacific team."
