The Orange Coast College Pirates came out hot looking to score early on, but it was the Fullerton College forward Rene Santillan who got the first real chance of the game.

The freshman received the ball from right field and released a shot across goal that was comfortably saved by Pirates goalkeeper Osiel Porcayo.

Both teams struggled to break each other down, until the Pirates earned a corner.

The ball which landed perfectly for Pirates midfielder, Marco Pineda, showed no sign of hesitation and scored a right-footed strike into the bottom right corner to make it 1-0 in favor of the Pirates.

Hornet’s defender, Wade Hoban, tried answering back with a powerful low driven shot from atop of the penalty box that just grazed the far right post.

A crucial slide tackle by Hornet’s midfielder, Brayan Herrera, prevented the native Japanese, Ryota Matsuura, from a 1-on-1 with the goalkeeper.

After a nice display of passing from the Fullerton side, Andre Parado, connected well off a cross with a first-time shot that just went over the left side of the crossbar.

The Hornet’s went into halftime trailing 1-0.

“We made a couple lineup changes, and changed our system of play a little bit,” said head coach Greg Aviles on adjustments in the second half of play.

Early on into the second half, Jacob Aldana, picked out Santillan from atop of the penalty area, slotted the ball into the bottom left corner making the game even in the 51st minute.

Santillan delivered a perfect throw-in to set-up Aldana with a 1-on-1 against Porcayo again, who this time denied the Hornet’s second goal of the game.

On the counter attack, Pirates midfielder, Garen Balikcioglu, passed the ball along to his teammate, Taylor Kane, pacing down the right field who crossed it to an open Matsuura, who buried a half-volley strike across goal to put the Pirates up 2-1.

Gerard Abessolo whipped in a cross that Pirates defender, Alix Morse, tried to clear out of play, but accidentally scored an own goal off his shoulder to tie the game 2-2.

In the 86th minute, Santillan assisted Abessolo with a brilliant pass.

The attacker was able to win the ball before Porcayo could get to it, he skipped past Porcayo to tap it into an open goal sealing the game.

“We’re pretty excited, it shows a lot of heart and testament that we know that we can do it,” said Aviles on his team completing the comeback.

The Hornet’s won 3-2, and improved their record to 7-1-1. They play away at Santa on Tuesday at 3 p.m.