After finishing with a record of 1-2 and taking fourth place in the Hartnell College Tournament last weekend, the Irvine Valley men’s soccer team opened its home schedule with a hard-fought 3-2 non-conference win over San Diego Mesa Tuesday afternoon.

The Lasers dominated much of the action, out-shooting the Olympians, 18-7. Most of Irvine Valley’s shots were good chances to score.

But it was actually San Diego Mesa that took the early lead in the contest. In the 11th minute, Grant Dasilva took a pass wide on the right side and then beat IVC keeper Mikhail Radchuk with a hard shot to the lower left corner of the net.

Irvine Valley answered back four minutes later. Freshman forward Corey Cordray flicked a ball past the Mesa defense and on to the foot of fellow freshman forward Bruno Sad. Sad went in one on one with the keeper and beat him with a shot into the right side of the net.

Sophomore midfielder Taylor Campbell, freshman forward John Faulds also had solid chances on goal in the following minutes.

The Lasers took a 2-1 lead in the 29^th minute. Cordray got loose on a breakaway in the Mesa defensive end. His first shot hit off Olympians’ goalie Zackary McPheeters, but the ball bounced right back to Cordray and he put his second chance away.

San Diego Mesa tied it at 2-2 in the 50^th minute when Karsa Sarabakhsh dribbled across the top of the box and then scored with a left-footed shot.

The Lasers finally took the lead for good in the 56^th minute. Cordray earned his second goal of the game and the game-winner after hammering home a loose ball in the box.

The two goals were Cordray’s second and third of the season.

In the Hartnell Tournament last weekend, IVC won its first match over American River, 5-2, despite trailing, 2-0, at halftime. The Lasers then lost a tough semifinal contest, falling to Cabrillo, 1-0. Irvine Valley finished off the tourney on Sunday with a 4-1 loss to host Hartnell in the third-place game.

“Every game up there we honestly could have won,” IVC Coach Martin McGrogan said. “We didn’t put games away and made some mistakes that really cost us. We just have to keep improving. But I think we are going to be OK.”

Irvine Valley plays again next Tuesday, Sept. 11 at Moorpark at 4 p.m.