Nicole Nguyen and Alex Salazar each had a pair of goals and an assist and the Acalanes girls soccer team cruised to a 5-1 victory over visiting Alameda on Monday night.

Salazar got the scoring going in the first minute, breaking free from a cluster of players and neatly slotting home the game’s first goal.  Nguyen followed not long after, smoothly finding the net with a nifty assist from Salazar, making the score 2-0.

The solid starting back line of Lucca DeBiasse, Tatum Keely, Cassidy Smith and JV guest player Ella Culbertson held the visiting Hornets at bay for most of the first half, with Keeper Melisa Adatepe not having to make her first save until the 33rd minute.  

Acalanes kept the momentum going in the second half when DeBiasse scored off of a throw-in assist from Smith and Acalanes had a commanding 3-0 lead.

In the 58th minute, Nguyen sent in a perfectly arcing corner kick which Salazar was able to head into the back of the net for her second of the night and the fourth for the home side.

Acalanes was able to put the game further out of reach in the 65th minute as Nguyen moved in unassisted to score her second goal of the night and fourth in 3 games.  Her dazzling display of footwork led teammate Rainey Fish to exclaim from the sidelines, “We’re gonna need breadsticks to soak up all that SAUCE!”

The Acalanes midfield, led by Reese Tierney, Lily Polkinhorn, and Elodie Jensen kept the visitors off of the Acalanes half for most of the game, the only blemish coming on a successful penalty kick for Alameda in the 67th minute.  

In all, it was another solid outing for Acalanes.  The home team was missing players for various reasons and head coach Alex Avelar was pleased with the effort of his team, with many playing in unfamiliar positions.  “Both teams were short, but I was happy with the effort and that the players were able to have fun out there tonight,” Avelar said after the game.

The team laces them up again for a road match versus Las Lomas on Thursday night at 7 pm in Walnut Creek.