Freshman Abraham Espinoza (#11) scored two goals for the Aztecs in their 6-2 win over South Mountain Community College. The Aztecs improved to 9-1-2 on the season. Photo by Ben Carbajal.
Freshman Abraham Espinoza (#11) scored two goals for the Aztecs in their 6-2 win over South Mountain Community College. The Aztecs improved to 9-1-2 on the season. Photo by Ben Carbajal.

Espinoza nets two goals as men's soccer pulls away to beat South Mountain

The Pima Community College men's soccer team (9-1-2) found itself in an unsuspecting close battle on Tuesday against South Mountain Community College (0-12) on Tuesday at Kino North Stadium.

The No. 8 ranked Aztecs scored three unanswered goals in the final 11 minutes to pull away and beat the Cougars 6-2. The Aztecs have gone 7-0-1 in their last eight games.

With the Aztecs up 3-2, freshman Abraham Espinoza (Saguaro HS) scored his second goal of the game on a penalty kick in the 79th minute. Sophomore Julian Gaona (Tucson HS) scored in the 82nd minute with an assist from freshman Luis Gonzalez (Amphitheater HS) to give Pima three goal lead at 5-2. Freshman Jose Romero scored with 15 seconds left in the game to seal it.

Freshman Ricky Flores (Desert View HS) gave the Aztecs a 2-1 lead with a goal in the 36th minute and freshman Giovanni Ahumada (Tucson HS) gave the Aztecs a two-goal lead at 3-1 in the 57th minute. The Cougars tied it at 1-1 in the third minute and cut it to 3-2 in the 71st minute.

The Aztecs outshot the Cougars 12-6 for the game. Freshman David Silva finished the game with four saves.

The Aztecs swept the regular season meetings with the Cougars. They won the first game 8-0 last month in Phoenix.

The Aztecs will return to Kino North Stadium on Saturday when they host No. 9 ranked Phoenix College at 7:00 p.m.

Pima goals: Abraham Espinoza (Julian Gaona) 3rd minute; Ricky Flores (penalty kick) 36th minute; Giovanni Ahumada 57th minute; Espinoza (penalty kick) 79th minute; Gaona (Luis Gonzalez) 82nd minute; Jose Romero 89th minute.