The Pasadena City College women's soccer team may have found the solution in trying to replace 2-time PCC Athlete of the Year Charlie Gallardo's high-octane offense. Freshman forward Alexandra Lopez is a finisher and she scored three goals Tuesday in the Lancers' 4-1, home-opening victory over Allan Hancock at Robinson Stadium.

Lopez's hat trick was reminiscent of the All-State Gallardo (now at Cal Poly Pomona) as she had three 3-goal games in Pasadena's run to the SoCal Regional Finals. 

Nicknamed Xuxi, Lopez now has five goals and has scored in each of the team's three victories. 

A little more than a minute into the game, Lopez received a lead pass from Isabella Nersesyan and scored on breakaway. At the 21st minute mark, Nersesyan fed a cross and Lopez made a nifty off-angle shot into the corner of the net from the side of the box, making it 2-0.

After Hancock sliced the lead to 2-1, with 11 minutes remaining, Raylyn Laney sent a pass to Lopez, who fired a 15-yard drive into the upper corner for her prized third tally. In the 90th minute, Nadia Aguilar netted a 9-yard shot to cap the PCC scoring. 

Nersesyan has four helpers now in the Lancers' 3-0 start. The program under head coach Terryn Soelberg is a sizzling 22-2-2 since the start of the 2024 season. 

PCC will host Saddleback, the team that ended Pasadena's postseason run last year in the Bobcats' 3-0 win in Round 3. Game time at Robinson Stadium is 6:30 p.m. after the men's game.