Peoria, IL – The No. 3 nationally ranked Indian Hills Men's Soccer squad extended its unbeaten streak to 10 games with a 3-1 victory over No. 13 Illinois Central Community College on Saturday. The Warriors move to 9-0-1 on the year.
The Warriors put home three second half goals to pull away from the Cougars, securing the team's second consecutive win over a nationally ranked opponent. Indian Hills, ranked No. 3 in the latest National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Men's Soccer poll, extends its best start to a season in program history while remaining unbeaten on the year.
Sophomore Daniel Mulero (Asturias, Spain/Salesianos Santo Angel Aviles) continued an unprecedented run for the Warriors by scoring a goal in his seventh consecutive match. Mulero becomes just the second player in school history to post a scoring streak of at least seven contests, joining former National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American Akean Shackleford. Mulero tallied a goal and an assist in the win for the Warriors.
Sophomore Bernardo Manzano (Palmas, Brazil/Layton Christian Academy) secured his eighth victory in net for the Warriors by stopping a pair of shots. Manzano's eight wins this year are tied for third-most in a single season in school history.
As a team, the Warriors totaled 14 shots on net in the win, including seven shots on target. Indian Hills earned five corner kicks to aid in the victory.
Following a scoreless first half between the two nationally ranked opponents, Mulero put the Warriors on the board in the 50th minute with a goal on a direct kick that bent past the Cougars' goalie. The goal was Mulero's fourth set-piece goal of the year.
Illinois Central responded to even the match at one just five minutes later, but the Warriors responded as Diego Lazaro (Laval, Canada/Horizon-Jeunesse) netted his second goal in as many games on a header off a Lucas Bauer (Oldenburg, Germany/IGS Kreyenbruck) corner kick in the 65th minute, the eventual game-winner. The Warriors tacked on an insurance goal in the 79th minute with Francesco Nanni's (Castiglion Fiorentino, Italy/Angelo Vegni) second-career goal on assists from Mulero and Lazaro.
Mulero, who now ranks third in the nation with 26 points on the year, continued to power the offense for the Warriors. The sophomore is the only player in the nation to score at least nine goals and tally at least eight assists on the year.
The Warriors' gauntlet of challenging road contests continues with the Barton Classic October 2-3 in Great Bend, KS. Indian Hills will take on Otero Junior College (CO) on Wednesday followed by a date with Barton Community College (KS) on Thursday. Both teams have appeared in the national rankings this year.
Looking for Indian Hills Athletics information straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our newsletter and mobile alerts to receive news, scores, highlights, and more in real-time: INDIAN HILLS ATHLETICS NEWSLETTER