LA VERNE, Calif. — Nathan Gonzalez scored two goals and assisted another to lift the University of La Verne men's soccer team to a decisive 5-1 win over Caltech on Saturday night at Ortmayer Stadium.

La Verne improves to 3-0-1 overall and 1-0-1 in SCIAC play. Caltech falls to 0-3-0 and 0-2-0.

The Leopards outclassed the Beavers in almost every aspect of the game. La Verne outshot Caltech, 24-3, and drew 10 corner kicks to zero for the Beavers.

And Gonzalez was at the forefront, firing seven shots with four of them on target. He played more of a facilitator's role to start the game tonight as he worked mostly on the left side to free up La Verne's attackers. And it was Gonzalez who helped Justin Funes open the scoring in the 17th minute with a low cross from the left wing.

Gonzalez had chances of his own throughout the game but didn't convert until the 73rd minute on a penalty kick. The Leopards had given up a spot kick of their own not a minute before but went right back at the Caltech goal and Auden Foxe induced a handball in the penalty box. Just two minutes later, Gonzalez scored on a counterattack to give the Leopards a four-goal lead.

The goals came in clusters for La Verne. Justin Almandinger scored the Leopards' second goal on an assist by by Jack Kolodge in the 40th minute and in the 42nd, Foxe played a good diagonal ball to Christopher Wong on the right wing and Wong found Ryan Adams in the box to put the Leopards up, 3-0.

Gerardo Vazquez, Max Charman and Josh Ramirez all played in net for La Verne. Caltech only managed one shot on goal--the penalty kick--and did not seriously threaten any of La Verne's goalkeepers.

Caltech's J.D. Feist made seven saves.

The Leopards are back in action at Occidental on Wednesday at 7 p.m.