(Thatcher, AZ) The Pima Community College men’s soccer team (1-0) returned to the pitch for its 2025 regular season opener on Saturday at Eastern Arizona College.
The No. 4 ranked Aztecs (Division II) defeated the Gila Monsters (Division I) 5-1 after scoring five unanswered goals.
Sophomore Alejandro Mina provided Pima’s first lead when he scored from sophomore Eythan Mancilla’s (Sunnyside HS) assist in the 56th minute.
Sophomore Lae Soe assisted in Pima’s next two goals feeding freshman Sean Ribadeneira for his goal in the 76th minute and then freshman Leonel Gutierrez’s (Salpointe Catholic HS) goal in the 78th minute to put the Aztecs up 4-1. Soe added more insurance with his goal in the 80th minute with an assist from Ribadeneira.
Gutierrez scored his first goal of the game when he tied it up at 1-1 in the 36th minute. Mancilla provided the assist.
The Gila Monsters struck first when Shawn Owens scored in the 17th minute.
Sophomore Alex Cristerna Oleta (Tucson Magnet HS) played the first half at the net and finished with one save. Freshman Tommaso Leonardi took over in the second half and had two saves.
The Aztecs finished with 14 shots on goal; 12 in the second half. The Gila Monsters closed out the game with four shots on goal.
The Aztecs will play a scrimmage on Tuesday against FC Tucson at the West Campus Aztec Field. Game time is at 7:30 p.m. Their next regular season game will be at Yavapai College next Saturday in Prescott at 6:00 p.m.
Pima Goals: Leonel Gutierrez (Eythan Mancilla) 36th minute; Alejandro Mina (Mancilla) 56th minute; Sean Ribadeneira (Lae Soe) 76th minute; Gutierrez (Soe) 78th minute; Soe (Ribadeneira) 80th minute.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
Click on Logo
