Trent Rickard scored his first career hat trick as The Master’s University men’s soccer team defeated the Park-Gilbert Buccaneers 3-0 Saturday, Oct. 5 at Reese Field in Newhall.

Rickard scored one in the first half and the other two less than a minute apart in the second to lift the Mustangs (4-4-2, 4-0-2) to the win on another 100-plus-degree day.

“I’m proud of the team when they follow the game plan and do it well,” said TMU Head Coach Jim Rickard. “In the first half, our goal was to slow the game down, because it was super hot, and get to halftime. There wasn’t a lot of offense on either side. It was more just surviving and not doing anything stupid. In the second half, I challenged them of making their shape be a little bit better, and their communication, being aware of other people and not letting Park have success on either long balls or coming up the middle, and we handled that well.”

Rickard scored his first goal 11:57 into the game off a free kick from 30 yards out. He blasted it low under the Buccaneers wall and past the diving keeper for the goal.

Then 6:41 into the second half, TMU goalkeeper Julian Graham’s goal kick sailed with the wind deep into the Buccaneers zone, where Rickard collected the ball on the left wing, dribbled past a defender and hammered his right foot into the ball for his second goal of the game.

Just 46 seconds later, Alexis Garcia took the ball into the left corner, crossed a pass to Rickard, who collected it and hooked a shot once again past the diving Buccaneers keeper to net his third goal and the hat trick.

“Trent getting his first hat trick, I’m obviously super excited for him,” Rickard said. “After the last game, when we tied 0-0 (to Benedictine Mesa), he was disappointed that he didn’t score, and obviously the team had some chances and didn’t score. So obviously, to come back (and score three) against a very good Park-Gilbert team, I’m super happy about that. We can’t expect that that will be the same team we are going to see in two weeks. They are going to be fired up, but it’s definitely nice to take care of business when you need to.”

Both teams were incredibly efficient with their shots. The Mustangs mustered just nine shots in the game, with eight coming in the second half alone. Park-Gilbert finished with just three shots.

TMU’s Julian Graham had just one save, but it was an important one in the first half.

“Julian made an incredible save in the first half that was super helpful,” Rickard said. “He was good in the air.”

The Master’s will travel back to Arizona on Wednesday, Oct. 9 to play the Embry-Riddle Eagles in Prescott, Ariz. Game time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

For more information visit gomustangs.com.