WINTER PARK, Fla. (August 27, 2026) - The Rollins men's soccer team had a positive, albeit unconventional, start to their 2026 campaign with a 6-5 win over Lenoir-Rhyne on Thursday night. The Tars, ranked #2 in the USC national poll, open the season 1-0. 

Mother nature delayed the season opener with a torrential downpour before the game, pushing the 6pm start to 6:55. The Tars came out with aggression, put could not put together a quality look. Despite being out-possessed in the first fifteen minutes, Lenoir-Rhyne was able to convert their first two opportunities within 66 seconds of each other to jump out to a 2-0 lead. 

Undaunted, the Tars were able to answer back in the 24th minute when Jaden Splunge delivered a crispy cross into the box where Pablo Herrero was able to smash it home. That would not come close to being the last the players and fans heard Herrero's name.

Just one minute later, the ball was bouncing around the midfield line. Herrero came away with possession, and realized that the Bears' keeper was well out of position. He lofted a 45 yard strike that touched down just inside the crossbar, tying the game at two. 

The scoring barrage continued shortly thereafter when Oskar Dahlberg used his 6-3 frame to head in a cross from Maxime Wester, putting Lenoir-Rhyne up 3-2. 

However, the Tars were once again up to the challenge. This time, it was Gabriel Ciffoni clearing a Bears possession about 50 yards down field. The ball bounced over a defender, and Finlay Prain was able to gain control and blast a shot from outside the box to knot things up at three.

Then, to put a bow on the wild first half, Prain fed Herrero with a cross to the far end of the box in the 42nd minute. His header gave the Tars a 4-3 lead, and Herrero his first career hat trick.

Coming out of the break, Rollins was at it again. in the fourth minute of the second half, Herrero displayed a deft touch with the ball, working around a pair of defenders before bracing from the penalty area for his fourth goal of the game to make it 5-3. 

The game was far from over, however. Lenoir-Rhyne responded with two more goals, a Xairo Villalon strike in the 54th and a Hector Taboada netter in the 65th to make it five all. 

A rare ten minute stretch of no scoring took place before the ars finally sealed the deal. In the 76th minute, Splunge streaked down the right side of the pitch, and put a defender on the ground with nifty footwork. He then delivered a missile into the box where newcomer Sebastian Alvarez was waiting with a flick of his head, sending it past the diving keeper to make the final of 6-5. 

Kilian Vallant was able to shake off the rust late in the game, stalling every Bear attack with a variety of athletic saves in close quarters. His play in the final twenty minutes was a key to the Tars opening day victory. 

Herrero is only the fifth player in Rollins history to score four times in one game, following Wilson Flohr (6,1967), Pete Williams (6,1969), Mark Buehler (6, 1970), and Stefan Avram (4, 2017). 

The Tars will have a day off before suiting up on Saturday when they host the Emory & Henry Wasps at the 'Spur. Kickoff is scheduled for 6pm on August 29.