GALESBURG — Jean Forestal (Ocoee, Fla./Ocoee) scored four goals and added an assist as the No. 7 Carl Sandburg College men’s soccer team routed Elgin 6-1 on Saturday afternoon at Kleine Field in the quarterfinals of the Region IV Division II tournament.
Sandburg (15-3), the second seed on its side of the bracket, advances to face top-seeded Prairie State, which beat Kishwaukee 3-0 on Saturday, in the semifinals at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Chicago Heights. The Chargers and fourth-ranked Pioneers met Oct. 7 at Prairie State, with the Pioneers winning 3-2 in overtime.
Forestal recorded the first four goals of Saturday’s contest, including a hat trick in a 5-minute span of the first half. Santiago Palacio (Cali, Colombia/Colegio La Arboleda) assisted on the first two goals, in the 24th and 26th minutes, and Pedronel Herrera (Cali, Colombia/Colegio Claret) fed Forestal for the next two, in the 29th and 56th minutes.
The four-goal performance was the second of the season for Forestal, who also pulled off the feat Sept. 7 against Kankakee. Forestal now has 27 goals on the season, tied for first in NJCAA Division II.
After the third-seeded Spartans (6-8) got on the board in the 74th minute, Forestal sent a pass to Herrera in the box, and Herrera chipped it over the keeper for a 5-1 Sandburg lead in the 80th minute. Oliver Hawkins (Paddock Wood, England/Mascalls Academy) added a goal in the 85th minute for the final score.
Chargers keeper Ben Hilton (West Sussex, England/Crawley Town Academy) made five saves on six Elgin shots on goal.
REGION IV DIVISION II MEN’S SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Quarterfinals
Prairie State 3, Kishwaukee 0
Sandburg 6, Elgin 1
Triton 2, Moraine Valley 1 (OT)
Morton 3, South Suburban 2
Semifinals
(2B) Sandburg at (1A) Prairie State, 2 p.m. Tuesday
(2A) Morton at (1B) Triton, 2 p.m. Tuesday
Championship
Noon Nov. 6 at higher seed
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