San Antonio - Trinity first-year midfielder Yuri Ribeiro registered his second hat trick of the season as the top-ranked Tigers beat the Pacific (Ore.) Boxers 3-1 Friday night, in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs at the Trinity Soccer Field.
 
The Tigers (19-2-0) will take on 16th-ranked Texas-Tyler at 6 p.m. Saturday in the second round. The Patriots (13-3-1) edged No. 22 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 1-0 in Friday's second game on Trinity's field. Pacific ended its season with a 13-4-2 record.  Box Score
 
Ribeiro now leads the Tigers with 15 goals on the season, which is tied for 11th in Trinity single season history. He scored his first goal in the eighth minute against the Boxers, on an assist from sophomore midfielder Kyle Porter. Ribeiro then gave Trinity a 2-0 lead in the 25th minute, and was assisted by junior forward Cameron Hogsett.  That goal turned out to be the game-winner.

Pacific's Travis Birrell closed the gap in the 40th minute on a header that followed a corner kick. But Ribiero struck again in the 66th minute, following his own missed penalty kick.  Goalkeeper Andrew Stevermer saved the PK initially, but Ribiero knocked in the rebound for his third goal of the night.
 
Trinity senior goalkeeper Joe Benefield played the full 90 minutes, and allowed one goal, while saving one shot.
 
The Tigers have won 11 straight games, and led 21-8 in total shots, and 12-2 in shots on goal in tonight's win over Pacific.
 
The winner of Saturday's game advances to the NCAA round of 16 next week, at a site to be determined.