Waxahachie, TX– After a huge win from the Lady Lions soccer team, the men's soccer team got their own taste of victory Tuesday night at the Lions Athletic Complex, taking down the Texas Wesleyan Rams 5-3.
Nelson was the first to take the lead in the match, with freshman
Daniel Alvarado scoring the first goal of his collegiate career at the end of the 13th minute to give the Lions a 1-0 advantage.
The Rams answered in the 39th minute, scoring a goal of their own to even the score at 1-1 heading into halftime.
Texas Wesleyan recorded three more shots than Nelson in the first half, totaling eight attempts compared to the Lions' five. However, only two of the Rams' shots were on target, both of which were saved by senior goalkeeper
Yahir Perez, giving him two saves in the opening half.
While goals were hard to come by in the first half, the offense came alive after the break, with both squads combining for six goals in the second half. Nelson outscored Texas Wesleyan 4-2 during the final 45 minutes.
Senior winger
Joel Palmer and senior striker
Yael Sandoval led the offensive charge for the Lions. Palmer scored three of Nelson's four second-half goals to complete a hat trick. His first two goals came in the 46th and 55th minutes, both assisted by Sandoval, while his third came in the 83rd minute off an assist from senior striker
Maquan Aldridge.
Sandoval also found the back of the net in the 54th minute, with junior midfielder
Atila Chagas providing the assist.
Nelson's offensive surge in the second half ultimately propelled the Lions to a 5-3 victory over Texas Wesleyan, with Palmer's hat trick playing a major role in the second-half comeback.
The victory moves the Lions to an overall record of 4-4-1 and 1-1 in conference play.
Up Next
Nelson will remain in Waxahachie this weekend for another home matchup, facing Oklahoma City University Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Lions Athletic Complex following the women's match.
Nelson University (formerly SAGU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.
