Garro Coto Nets Three as No. 11 Monroe Mustangs Men’s Soccer Defeat D2 No. 1 CCBC Essex

BALTIMORE, Md., September 18, 2021 – Isaac Garro Coto scored three times, including what proved to be the game-winner, helping lead the No. 11-ranked Monroe College Mustangs men's soccer team to a 6-2 victory over Div. II No. 1 CCBC Essex Saturday afternoon at the CCBC Essex Stadium. The Mustangs improve to 3-1 overall with their third straight win, while the Knights suffer their first loss of the year and drop to 5-1.

The defenses on both sides were playing tough throughout the opening half, but the Mustangs broke through in the 27th minute. Liam Murray managed to find the back of the net on a free kick at 26:40, giving Monroe a 1-0 edge. After some more defensive struggle, the Mustangs added to their lead with time dwindling in the first half. Ivan Silic won a one-on-one with the keeper on a breakaway, doubling Monroe's lead in the 44th minute to send the game to halftime with the Mustangs on top, 2-0.

The second half was quiet for both teams until the 72nd minute. Streaking down the far sideline, Garro Coto fired one toward the bottom-right corner from the far-right wing and bent it just inside the pipe and past the keeper for an incredible score that put the Mustangs ahead, 3-0, with just over 18 minutes left in regulation. Nils Friebe got in on the action in the 76th minute after being set up by Joao Costa, second assist of the game, making it a 5-0 Mustang lead.

Monroe's shutout ended with just under nine minutes to play, as Toga Katsuma got one past the keeper in the 81st minute to make it a 5-1 game. Just 26 seconds later, Henry Ortiz scored again for the Knights to cut the deficit to three with 8:35 still left on the clock. The Mustangs regrouped and buckled down on defense after that, and then took advantage of a late free kick that saw Garro Coto complete his hat trick at 87:52, leading to the final score of 6-2 in favor of Monroe.