Collin Lecain scored three first-half goals each from inside the penalty box, and Ian Brown and Noah DeBruyn hit from long range in the second half to highlight Ripon Christian’s 5-2 Trans Valley League victory Friday night at Ripon.

Armando Ayon had a second-half brace for the host Indians (2-3-1 TVL, 4-13-3 overall), who showed some life coming out of the intermission facing a three-goal deficit.

In fact, it was Ripon that was on the front foot for the first 15-plus minutes of the second half. Ayon scored off a through ball from Kalvin Martin in the 56th minute, but any hope of a comeback was quickly vanquished by the stunning finishes from Brown and DeBruyn in the just two and three minutes later.

“I give Ripon a lot of credit, because down 3-0 they were flat at the end of the (first) half,” Ripon Christian coach Danny Koolhaas said. “I told the boys the first 10 minutes of the second half is going to dictate how the other 30 goes. They kind of found a fluky goal there, and then their energy came up.

“We were lucky to get the second-half goals from long distance. That’s actually one of my biggest takeaways from this game. I just told them that we had a good game plan coming into the game — put high pressure on their back line, and their goalie likes to play far out, so we’re going to try and chip them. That’s kind of a staple of this team, is that they follow instruction very well.”

DeBruyn also had three assists for the second-place Knights (5-1, 6-4-2) and set up Lecain’s in the second and 16th minutes. Lecain completed the hat trick in the 25th minute with a penalty kick that was awarded by a handball. The sophomore forward now has a team-high 10 goals on the season.

“The kid has played soccer his entire life,” Koolhaas said. “He always finds himself in a good spot, but then he finishes”

There was potential for a high-scoring affair in a match that opened up on both ends, as Ripon sent numbers forward to support its attack.

Ayon benefited by a couple misplayed balls by Ripon Christian defenders for his goals. In the 70th minute, he intercepted a pass deep inside the Knights’ penalty box and placed a right-footed strike to the opposite post.

The Indians had several chances to stay within reach much earlier, however. Forward Brian Machado had their best look in the first half, as he beat multiple defenders on the right wing to fire a powerful shot that was thwarted by RC goalie Wesley Vander Woude’s diving, one-handed block. Vander Woude finished with six saves.

Ripon Christian had a 19-14 shot advantage, but on-goal attempts were even at 8-8.

Machado later came up empty-handed on three shots in the first 11 minutes of the second half.

“The ball didn’t bounce our way tonight,” Ripon coach Jose Montes said. “Overall, the players are still buying in. We still have the fight in us, and we’re going to fight until the very end.”

Ripon will look to bounce back next Wednesday in a pivotal match at Escalon, while Ripon Christian plays host to Orestimba.