Carlos, Utsumi Lead Warriors Past Long Beach

TORRANCE, Calif. --- El Camino College scored a 3-1 South Coast Conference victory over Long Beach City on Tuesday afternoon at the ECC Gym Complex.

Mario Carlos scored twice and Haruki Utsumi added another as the Warriors (10-2-0, 2-1-0) won their second straight conference game. Gustavo Munoz, Carson Nguyen and Jovaughn Cole all added assists and Donovan Palomares made two saves in the victory.

Carlos recorded his third multi-goal game of the season as he opened the scoring with a wonderful shot from just outside the box. He jumped on a Long Beach turnover and then charged up the far side, firing a right-footed strike to the upper right corner past the Vikings keeper for a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute.

He tacked on a second just before halftime as Nguyen fired a cross into the box that glanced off Munoz's head and straight to Carlos on the near side in the box. Carlos then fired a left-footed shot that skipped off keeper Ryan Swan's legs on a sliding attempt at a save. The ball found it's way into the goal on the far side to give ECC a 2-0 lead at the break.

In the 55th minute, Utsumi made it 3-0 with an impressive header. Off a Warriors corner, the ball found its way to Cole who blasted a shot with his right foot that bounced off the back of a Long Beach defender and spun toward Utsumi, who lowered his head and guided it to the far post for the goal. It was Utsumi's third goal of the year, all coming at home and off headers.

The Vikings would not go quietly though as Miguel Arroyo found the back of the net in the 63rd minute as he curved a shot from about 25 yards inside the far post, freezing Palomares and getting LBCC within two.

The turning point of the match came in the 73rd minute as the Vikings were awarded a penalty shot after the Warriors committed a foul in the box. Jesus Moreno took the shot as Palomares dove to his left. The shot was straight but hit the crossbar and the Warriors defense made the clearance to keep the match at 3-1.

The Warriors will wrap up the week on Friday night as they take on L.A. Harbor on the road. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.