BLINN MEN’S SOCCER UPSETS #12 RANKED HILL
Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information
The Blinn College men’s soccer team defeated No. 12 Hill College 4-2 in a non-region match Tuesday at Rankin Field in Brenham, Texas.
The Buccaneers improved to 7-3-2 overall and continued their dominance over the Rebels, improving to 4-1-1 all-time against Hill. Blinn is now 4-0-1 against Hill since dropping the teams’ first meeting on Aug. 19, 2023.
The victory also snapped Hill’s eight-game winning streak. The Rebels entered the match with an 8-1-1 record.
“This was a strong performance against a tough out-of-region opponent that has been on an impressive streak,” Blinn head coach Michael McBride said. “No points at stake, but exactly the kind of high-level challenge this team needs to elevate its game. We now hit the road for what will be a grueling later part of the regular season.”
Freshman forward Vukasin Ivanovic led the way for Blinn, recording a hat trick, including the eventual game-winning goal. The performance marked the Bucs’ first hat trick since Devon Arnold scored three goals against Texas Southmost on Oct. 15, 2024.
Ivanovic opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a free kick before finding the back of the net again in the 19th minute off assists from sophomore forward Kayde Gielinck and freshman midfielder Victor Garcia.
Hill answered in the 28th minute, but Blinn regained its two-goal advantage when sophomore midfielder Paolo Imeneo scored in the 30th minute on assists from Garcia and sophomore defender Malikai Fry.
Ivanovic completed his hat trick in the 36th minute, scoring off an assist from Imeneo to give the Bucs a 4-1 advantage.
Hill added a goal in the 80th minute, but Blinn sophomore goalkeeper Samir Bristol kept the Rebels from making a late comeback. Bristol played all 90 minutes and finished with five saves, improving to 6-1-1 on the season.
Garcia recorded two assists, marking the 36th multi-assist performance in Blinn program history and just the fourth against a nationally ranked NJCAA Division I opponent.
Ivanovic's three-goal performance also moved him into elite company in the Blinn record book. His fourth career game-winning goal moved him into fourth place all-time, while his four game-winning goals this season tie him for second in a single season with Arnold and 2023 NJCAA All-American David Garcia. Farit Ha holds the single-season team record with five in 2019.
Ivanovic also now has 29 points this season and is 10th in a career and fifth in a season all-time for the Bucs. He is also one goal away from tying Ethan Lindo for fourth-most goals in a season.
Tuesday's four-goal effort marked the third-highest scoring game in the history of the series between Blinn and Hill. The Bucs previously defeated the Rebels 7-3 and 6-2 at Rankin Field.
Blinn returns to Region 14 play when it visits Coastal Bend College at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, in Beeville, Texas.