Vargus Nets 5 Goals as Thunderducks Blank Harper in National Quarterfinals

GASTONIA, N.C. – Dallas College Richland men's soccer player Luis Vargus scored five goals as the No. 2-ranked Thunderducks beat Harper College, 9-0, to open the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Tournament Wednesday.

The Thunderducks (10-3-1) advance to the national semifinals 3 p.m. CT Friday to meet Herkimer College (12-2-0).

Vargas, a sophomore forward from Dallas, had a natural hat trick in the game's first 19 minutes, scoring Richland's first three goals. His first came 1:11 into the national quarterfinal. He struck again 6:34 later when Aubry Eason connected with him. Vargas cemented the hat trick in the 19^th minute on a setup from Joseph Min.

He followed up Felipe Escorcia's unassisted goal to end the first half scoring in the 43rd minute with a pair of goals in a two-minute span in the second half. That put the Thunderducks ahead 6-0. Escorcia, who had three assists, found Vargas on the first and gamewinning goal.

Min, Mika Bardia and Gino Quezada also each scored a goal. Eason had two assists, and Alan Rivera drew the helper on Vargas' fifth goal in the 55^th minute.

Richland, which outshot Harper, 28-1, recorded its eighth shutout of the season. The nine goals matched a season high.

Thunderducks goalkeeper Arath Valdez made one save, logging 77:19 between the posts before giving way to Mikkel Jensen, who did not face a shot. It was Valdez's fourth combined shutout of the year.

Richland beat Herkimer, 2-0, to win the program's 10^th national title in 2021. The two powerhouses did not meet in last year's NJCAA Division III Tournament -- the fifth consecutive national championship run for the Thunderducks.