Jacksons Hat Trick Powers Cap in Opener
The Capilano University Blues men's soccer team and their leading scorer picked up right where they left off from last season, as Keith Jackson recorded a hat trick to lead the Blues to a 4-1 victory over the Langara College Falcons on Sunday afternoon.
Jackson, a CCAA All-Canadian in 2016 who led the PACWEST in scoring with 11 goals in 12 games plus seven more in the playoffs wasted no time getting back on the scoresheet. In the ninth minute, fifth-year Nicolas Morello darted down the right wing before delivering a hard centering pass onto the foot of Jackson, who made no mistake to put the Blues up 1-0.
Eight minutes later, CapU doubled their lead on a successful counter-attack. After a Langara corner kick was cleared, Daniel Morello led an odd-man rush down the right wing and after his centering pass was blocked, he remained composed and drilled home a left-footed strike from just inside the 18-yard box to put the Blues up 2-0.
The Falcons didn't go away quietly and responded with two quality scoring chances of their own. From around 23-yards out, rookie Merlin Fisk let fly a strike that hit the underside of the bar, and goalkeeper Hudson Nelles had to regroup to stop a header on the second effort. In the 30th minute Langara managed to break through, using some nice touches off a goal kick to get behind the defense, where Alexander Escobar converted to get his team to within one.
CapU stayed composed, and their veterans stepped up again 10 minutes later. Nic Morello hit Jackson in stride as he sliced down the middle of the field, before he calmly finished with his left foot to restore the two-goal cushion.
Jackson helped put the game out of reach shortly out of halftime, darting in off the left wing before again finishing into the bottom left corner of the net. Exactly one year ago to the day, Jackson also had a hat trick against Langara.
The Blues are back underway next weekend at home when they take on Douglas College on Saturday, September 16 and Vancouver Island University on Sunday, September 17. Kick-off is 3:30pm on Saturday and 2:30pm on Sunday at Lillooet Park in North Vancouver.
Submitted by: Athletics & Recreation