Box Score PALATINE, Ill. – The Harper men's soccer team continued its impressive run through North Central Community College Conference (N4C) play at home on Wednesday afternoon. The Hawks (7-2-2, 7-0-1 N4C) built up a three-goal lead after 45 minutes of play and went on to a 4-0 victory over the visiting Joliet Junior College Wolves (5-6-1, 3-3-1 N4C).
It didn't take long for the hosts to get on the board. Off an Angel Sarti (/Hoffman Estates) shot on net, Juan Hernandez (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling) took the rebound and buried it in the back of the goal to give the Hawks an early 1-0 edge just over 10 minutes into the game.
In the 30th minute, midfielder Luis Vargas (Palatine, Ill./Palatine) sent a ball into the box that found the foot of forward Niko Mihalopoulous. Mihalopoulos turned and fired a shot that was saved by Wolves keeper Cesar Marquez (six saves), but defender Manny Menjivar (/Huntley) followed the shot and scored to give Harper a 2-0 lead.
With less than two minutes to play in the first stanza, Colin O'Meara (Palatine, Ill/Palatine) sent a free kick into the box that found Mihalopoulos, who scored his team-leading sixth goal of 2015 to give the home team a 3-0 advantage heading into halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Hawks added one more goal to the total in the 51st minute. Enrique Avellanada converted on a header on a beautiful set-piece from Luis Vargas (Palatine, Ill./Palatine).
Hawks goalkeeper Jacob Goldstein (Buffalo Grove, Ill. /Stevenson ) (6-1-2) was rarely tested in the first half (three saves) but had to make some impressive stops in the second half to earn his fourth shutout of 2015. Goldstein made 11 total saves on the afternoon.
Harper plays its next match on Friday at home against Rock Valley College (6-3-2, 3-3-1 N4C). The Hawks and Golden Eagles played to a 2-2 draw on Sept. 12.
