Joshua Rivera converted a three-goal hat trick Wednesday night in Albany, Ga., powering Coach Jamie Ard’s Bainbridge High School Bearcats soccer team to a 5-0 victory over the Albany High School Indians.

Emilio Hernandez opened the scoring in the 10th minute. after receiving a ball centered in front of the Albany goal by Louis Mejia.

In the 19th minute, Mejia punched in another goal on a penalty kick following an Albany foul inside their penalty area.

In the 20th minute, Rivera scored his first goal as a Bearcat when he converted a penalty kick following an Albany foul on Hernandez inside their penalty box.

In the 50th minute, Rivera scored his second goal when he converted a corner kick taken by Mejia. Rivera then finished off  his hat trick in the 62nd minute, converting a corner kick taken by Carlos Becerra.

Ard said he was pleased with the victory, but there were still some things his team needs to work on.

“I was pleased to get out of Albany with a victory,” he said. “We did not play a very clean match. We were very sloppy and unfocused with our play all night long.

“It did not help that one of our better players Daniel Provence was unable to play due to a last minute injury that is going to require further examination.

“His injury was not expected, and it made us move some players into positions they usually do not play. We are not a very experienced team, so when one of our main guys goes down it really causes some problems.”

Ard also talked about one of his team’s Wednesday night bright spots.

“I liked what I saw from Lenorris Flanders,” he said. “He was able to step into a midfield role that he has not really played before, and he did a very good job winning balls and making productive passes.”