Gutierrez scores hat trickin soccer Lions' win
February 22, 2009

By DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff

GREENVILLE -- Wind gusts up to 32 mph made for some challenging conditions during Greenville’s soccer match on Saturday against Princeton.

But the wind couldn’t stop Greenville’s Chris Gutierrez, who scored a hat track to lead the Lions to a 3-0 victory at T.A. “Cotton” Ford Stadium.

Gutierrez scored two goals with the wind in the first half and one against the strong gusts in the second half. He nearly scored on two more opportunities in the second half.

“We should have had two or three more against the wind,” said Lions coach Jeff Crank. “Andrew had a good shot. Chris had a couple. It’s hard to play against the wind.”

Greenville stayed undefeated in district play at 3-0-1. Though the Lions outscored North Lamar 2-1 in an overtime shootout on Monday, that game goes into the books as a tie according to 20-4A district rules, said Crank.

Greenville is now 6-5-3 for the season.

Gutierrez put the Lions on the scoreboard at the 34:58 mark of the first half with a long shot set up by Luis Serrato.

The junior forward made it 2-0 with 20:35 left before halftime after taking a pass from Ryan Wilhelm and firing it into the net from about 20 yards.

Grant Boshart set up Gutierrez’s final goal with 36:04 remaining. Gutierrez found an empty net after Princeton’s goalkeeper got caught out of position.

The Panther goalkeeper turned away several promising shots by the Lions in the second half.

Greenville wound up with nine shots on goal and 17 shots in all.

Princeton finished with three shots on goal, all of them with the wind, as Lion goalkeeper Matt Mouer recorded three saves.

The Lions will play again at home on Tuesday against Commerce, starting at 6 p.m.