Irvine Valley's men's soccer team used a late goal on a penalty kick and an impressive diving save by freshman goalie Isaac Hernandez to come away with a 2-2 tie with Santiago Canyon in an Orange Empire Conference match on Tuesday at the OC Great Park.
The tie, which was IVC's first of the season, moved the Lasers' record to 8-8-1 overall and 4-3-1 in conference. Santiago Canyon went to 4-9-3 overall and 1-5-2 in the OEC.
Irvine Valley dominated much of the action in the first half and took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute.
Freshman forward Ivan Lopez hit a beautiful left-footed free kick from the left side. The ball looked to be going in, but Santiago Canyon goalie Lucas Clarida made a leaping save to tip the ball away. But sophomore midfielder Christopher Osuna was there for the rebound and knocked it in to give IVC a 1-0 lead.
IVC out-shot Santiago Canyon, 6-1, in the first half and held the one-goal advantage at the break.
But the second half was a different story for the Lasers.
Santiago Canyon tied the game in the 64th minute on a goal by Andrew Resendiz. He took a shot that was deflected by Hernandez and Resendiz followed up and sent it home.
Then just six minutes later, Resendiz sent a cross in front of the IVC net and the ball hit off a Laser defender and went in to put the Hawks ahead, 2-1.
And it stayed that way until the final minutes.
In the 88th minute, IVC sophomore forward Izzy Abdelkader was taken down in the box by SCC's keeper.
Lopez stepped to the penalty kick spot and beat Clarida to the lower left side to tie the game at 2-2.
In extra time, Santiago Canyon got a chance to take the lead on its own penalty kick.
But Hernandez made a full-out dive to his left to stop Luis Sanchez-Diaz's attempt and keep the match tied.
Hernandez finished with three four saves on the day.
Lopez scored his team-leading seventh goal and sixth assist for the Lasers.
IVC plays again on Friday at conference-leading Golden West at 3 p.m.
