SAN DIEGO - It was nearly a perfect Senior Day. Nico Tagaloa scored four goals and assisted on another as the Point Loma men's soccer team took down the defending PacWest Champions, Fresno Pacific, 6-2 in their highest scoring output in three seasons. (Oct. 15).
 
PLNU has now won back-to-back matches for the first time this season to even its record at 5-5-3 (4-4-0 PacWest). The win also allowed Point Loma to pass FPU (4-6-2, 3-3-1 PacWest) in the conference standings. The Sea Lions now sits seventh in the 14-team league.
 
Tagaloa did not take long to get his scoring party started, as he scored the first of his four goals in the seventh minute. Mitch Wheelon crossed in a perfect ball into the box and Tagaloa dove in perpendicular to the goal to head it into the net from five yards out for the lead. FPU would get the equalizer on a set piece later in the half to tie the game at 1-1 at intermission, but the second half was all Sea Lions.
 
After a straight red card by Fresno Pacific in the 51st minute resulted in them playing with 10, Point Loma did not let up on the attack over the final 39 minutes. Tagaloa gave Point Loma back the lead with his second goal on an assist by Eduardo Gallardo in the 55th minute. He then dished out an assist to Indiana Fuller in the 59th minute. It looked like Tagaloa would settle for just the two goals but then there was a scoring flurry in the final five minutes which earned him both a hat-trick and the school record.
 
His third goal came on a cross from Chris Reingen from the right side when Tagaloa rose above the crowd to head the ball into the net in the 85th minute. His fourth and school-record tying goal for a single-match came in the 87th minute when Tagaloa got a breakaway and beat the keeper for the goal. Tagaloa now has seven goals on the season. He is in fourth in the PacWest in scoring.
 
"After we scored that first goal (Fresno Pacific) played a very high line and it opened up space for us behind the defense," the senior Nico Tagaloa explained. "We were able to cheat towards offense a little and as soon as that ball was played it was almost a 1v1 with the keeper every time. I just put myself in good spots, trusted my teammates and they made good plays for me."  
 
Patrice Glaser added a goal of his own during his final match at the PLNU Soccer Field. Christopher Tellez made a great run down the left side and passed a ball into the box to an open Glaser for the one-touch shot and the score. It was his first goal of the season and capped off a 22-shot afternoon for the Sea Lions (11 on goal).
 
"It was really nice to just bury Fresno Pacific," said PLNU senior Tyler Allen with a smile on his face. "It was such a good feeling."
 
"The seniors, including myself, have been here four years, so to give those guys a sendoff like this feels great," added Tagaloa.
 
The Sea Lions will head on the road for five matches to complete the 2016 regular season. PLNU will go to Hawaii from Oct. 22-29 to face four PacWest opponents. Point Loma will open against BYU-Hawaii on Saturday, Oct. 22 to open up the road swing.