Suns Blank Lions as Faye Enters History Book
LANCASTER, Texas – Abdourahman Faye circled around the field, looking for attention. He, like the rest of his Dallas College Cedar Valley men's soccer teammates, was starving for the spotlight.
On this day, Faye took center stage, notching his second hat trick of the season, and figuring in to each of the Suns' goals in a 4-0 win over Dallas College Mountain View in the Dallas Athletic Conference opener. Faye had a hat trick in a tie with National Park College 10 days earlier.
It is the first time in program history a Suns player has notched two hat tricks in a season.
Faye has scored in four of Cedar Valley's eight games, including the past two.
The Suns improved to 2-4-2 overall, 1-0-0 in the DAC. The Suns are undefeated in the last four games.
"The team has bonded well lately, and the guys have started to click," Cedar Valley head coach Nasko Arsov said. "It was a great effort by everyone, and the team deserved this result with how hard they've been working lately."
Faye scored on an assist from Elias Prieto in the 27th minute to give the Suns the only goal they would need on a day goalkeeper Angel Rogers made seven saves for his second straight shutout.
It was Faye's first gamewinning goal of the season. He has eight goals and two assists this year for a team-leading 18 points. He is leading the Dallas Athletic Conference in goals and points, and ranks tied for eighth in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III in goals and tied for ninth in points.
In the 31st minute, Faye was credited with the assist on a goal by Harun Spahalic after a pile in front of the net got the Lions' back line and keeper out of shape.
The Suns, who put 11 of their 12 shots on goal, led 2-0 at the halftime intermission.
Faye scored twice more within a four-minute span in the second half to put the game away. He recorded his hat trick off Prieto's corner kick in the 56th minute. It was the third straight corner kick off Prieto's foot, and Faye banged home a header before he was mobbed by his teammates near the corner flag.
He scored again in the 60th minute on an assist from Makhi Solomon.
"Faye had a great game," Arsov said. "He had a special day on the pitch, and the guys around him made his job easier. Now it's time to keep the momentum going."
Cedar Valley will complete its three-game homestand 2 p.m. Saturday against Rose State College.
