Goals fall like rain for Scorpions soccer squads in final home matches

Not even rain could spoil the final home matches of the season for the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College soccer teams.

The Scorpions men routed Bacone (Okla.) College 11-0 on Thursday at Morningside Park to finish 6-0 at home in 2008. The UTB-TSC women capped the day with a 3-0 triumph over Bacone.

"We had a great performance," UTB-TSC men's soccer coach Dan Balaguero said. "Although the competition wasn't quite as strong as some of our recent opponents, I think we would have done well against just about anybody today."

The conference-leading Scorpions (8-4, 4-0 Red River Athletic Conference) now play their next five matches on the road leading up to the RRAC Tournament Nov. 6 through 8 in Fort Worth.

The Scorpions posted their sixth shutout in 12 matches, a feat that ranks in the top 10 nationally in NAIA.

The lopsided win was highlighted by senior striker Fernando Mendoza of Granada, Spain, who tallied six goals, three in each half. He could have had seven, but his second-half penalty kick was blocked.

"The last few games we've had a little trouble scoring, so obviously with 11 goals today, it gives us some of our confidence back," said Mendoza, who said the last time he scored that many goals was in a youth-league game in Spain. "As far as getting all those goals, I'm the striker and that's my job. How the team does is the most important thing."

Mendoza's goals in the 16th, 27th and 30th minutes gave the Scorpions a 3-0 advantage. In the closing seconds of the first half, James McCarron's penalty kick made it 4-0.

Goals by former Brownsville high school standouts Enrique "Chicle" Rivera (Lopez) and Filiberto Cortinez (Porter) increased the lead to 7-0 early in the second half as Rivera tallied twice and Cortinas once.

Mario Zamora of Matamoros scored on a header in the 64th minute for an 8-0 lead. Mendoza then added his next three goals, including a pair of tallies within a 12-second span.

UTB-TSC had 19 shots on goal to none for Bacone (5-7, 2-4). Steve Howard led the Scorpions with three assists.

In the women's match, sophomore forward Linette Cuvillier of Los Fresnos sparked UTB-TSC (5-4-1, 3-1) with a pair of goals. Her tally from 10 yards in the 25th minute gave the Scorpions a 1-0 halftime edge. Julia Dell' Aquila made it 2-0 on a crossing shot from the right side in the 56th minute. Cuvillier added her second goal in the 86th minute. Dell' Aquila assisted on each of Cuvillier's goals.

The Scorpions women had 15 shots on goal to three for Bacone (4-9, 3-3).

"Not being cocky or anything, but we need to finish games like this with at least five goals in case we wind up in a tiebreaker for first place (in RRAC)," UTB-TSC women's soccer coach Nikola "Nik" Barjaktarevic said.