Phoenix, AZ- Arizona Christian Men's Soccer scored eight and a half minutes into their 2016 season opener but ultimately fell 4-2 to #20 Corban on Thursday night.  Freshman Damian Sanchez and Senior Luis Tapia both scored with Freshman Juan Mora collecting both assists.

Mora cracked the first Arizona Christian shot of the season high in the third minute.  Five minutes later he show his creativity as he threaded a pass through the back line that connected perfectly with Sanchez in stride who took a touch around the keeper and knocked his shot into the right half of the goal for a quick 1-0 lead.  Not bad coming against a Corban team that recorded 14 shutouts last season.

The next two ACU shots belonged to Mora- a header and shot both on target but saved.

In the 28th minute, Tapia cracked a shot that sailed wide left.

Freshman David Hagerich nearly gave ACU a 2-0 lead when his 30 yard shot had eyes for the upper left corner but was picked out of the air by Corban Goalkeeper Jordan Farr.

Despite allowing several attacks deep into their later third, the Firestorm (0-1) still held a clean sheet headed into the 38th minute.  But that all changed when Timur Zhividze dribbled though three ACU defenders at the top of the box and finished with a shot into the lower left corner to create a 1-1 tie- a score that remained until half time.

However, the Warriors (1-0) needed just 39 seconds into the second half to break the tie and grab a 2-1 edge.  They built a 3-1 advantage about 17 minutes later.

Down two for just two minutes, the Firestorm climbed back within one when Mora dribbled down the right side and found Tapia in the middle who drilled a shot into the lower left corner.

A combination of a long throw-in, quick touch in the middle, and shot into the upper right corner moved Corban ahead 4-2 half way through the second half.

Neither team scored again though Tapia hit a rocket off the crossbar 15 minutes into the final half and Mora just missed a shot wide right in the closing seconds.

Freshman Goalkeeper Joshua Stewart made his collegiate debut with four saves for ACU.

On Saturday, the Firestorm will host College of Idaho at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex at 11:00 am.