MCMINNVILLE, ORE. – Eight goals, led by a hat-trick by Cesar Cruz-Espindola propelled the Linfield College Wildcats over the Multnomah Lions on Wednesday night with a final score of 8-1.
 
The eight goals were the most for the Wildcats since 2017, who move to 1-1 on the season. This Lions have conceded at least eight goals in three of the last four and fall to 0-4 on the season.
 
On their first chance of the game, Shoma Okita had a clear look at the goal, but his shot went just high 28 seconds into the game.
 
The Wildcats were rewarded for their early aggressiveness with Cesar Cruz-Espindola putting the ball back in the net off a pass from Okita just 1:36 in the game.
 
The Linfield back line was able to keep the ball on the Multnomah side of the pitch, restricting Multnomah to zero shots through the first 22 minutes of the game.
 
Cruz-Espindola managed to get past the Lions defense on multiple chances and he scored his second, just 20 minutes into the game, this time unassisted on a breakaway.
 
Coming into the game at the mandatory water break after the Cruz-Espindola goal, Henry Rosenfeld looked to make his presence felt early and scored on a cross pass by Marques Herrera-Kuehn, with
 
The all-time high for goals against the Lions was five for the Wildcats, they had five in the first half alone on Thursday night.
 
The offensive outpour continued in the second half for the Wildcats as Shoma Okita and Ryan Kister scored for the first time in 2019.
 
Cruz-Espindola secured his third goal of the game on a pass by Rosenfeld, it was the first career hat-trick for the Beaverton, Oregon native. It was the first hat-trick by a Wildcat since Kister against Walla Walla in 2017 and just the 12th in program history.
 
The Lions spoiled the Wildcats shutout with a goal in the 86^th minute on a long kick by Matthew Aguilera.
 
Nick Van Kleek got the start in goal for the Wildcats and he saved the only shot he faced in the first half, before being subbed out just after halftime. The Tualatin, Oregon gets his first win of the season.
 
The eight goals for the Wildcats were most since 2017, while 35 shots were most since last season and just four short of tying the all-time program record.
 
Linfield moves to 3-1 in the all-time series against Multnomah, with the first meeting coming in 2015.
 
UP NEXT
The Wildcats continue their seven game homestand to start the season against Whittier on Saturday night at 8 p.m. That game is part of the doubleheader with the women's soccer team taking on Corban.