Nico Esparon Scores Hat Trick in Scots Draw

Monmouth finishes busy week with 3-3 draw

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (09/11/2022) — Playing for the second time in as many days and the fourth time in six days, the Monmouth College men's soccer team earned a 3-3 draw on Sunday against Fontbonne in Indiana.

Fontbonne took the early lead with a goal just 8:39 into the game. They doubled the lead 10 minutes later with a second goal. The Scots got on the board right before halftime as Nico Esparon (St. Denis, France) found the back of the net.

The game stayed 2-1 through halftime and then for the first 30 minutes of the second half. Esparon scored again with 12:55 to play. The Scots earned a penalty kick just five minutes later and Esparon converted for the hat-trick and a 3-2 Monmouth lead.

Fontbonne tied the game with 3:43 to play. Neither team scored the rest of the way as the contest ended in a 3-3 draw.

Marcos Garibay (Waukegan, Illinois) played all 90 minutes in goal and made seven saves. Monmouth had seven shots on goal, four from Esparon and two from Wyatt Mayor (Galesburg, Illinois).

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: The hat-trick by Esparon is the 24th time a Monmouth player has scored at least three goals in one gameIt was the first hat-trick by a Scots player since Jake Cogan had a hat-trick against Central on Sept. 2, 2014The Scots had two draws in their four game week and scored three goals in two of the last three gamesMonmouth know has a full week off before hosting Coe College at 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 19.