05/30/09

05.30.2009 | Men’s Soccer

Sol Extinguishes Fuego In Southern Oregon 3-1

After a long drive from Sonoma County the Sol team emerges to thunder and lightning in Medford, Oregon to take on the Fuego. Right from the start of the match the Sol came out strong, dominating play in the midfield and shutting down any attack the Fuego attempted. Sol found the net just ten minutes in when Trevor Hurst received a good ball into his feet, beating several players before striking the ball with his left inside the post just before Fuego’s keeper Brook Johnson could get to it. For the better part of the first half the Fuego seemed content to sit back and allow the Sol to knock the ball around in the back, allowing Sol to control the tempo of the match and the majority of possession.

Seventeen minutes into the first half the Fuego had their best opportunity of the first half on a cross from the left side, but Sol first half goalkeeper Tim Maycock punched the ball clear from danger. “I probably could have caught it but I wasn’t taking any chances” Maycock said at halftime. Just five minutes later Sol found the net a second time. Trevor Hurst received a ball and turned on his defender, taking the ball past him before getting to the end line and laying a nice ball back to his older brother Tyler Hurst for a good shot far post past Johnson to make the score 2-0.

With ten minutes left in the half Lee Summerscales of Cambridge, England and recent addition to the Sol line-up hit a self proclaimed “brilliant” ball to forward Brandon Boone who beat two men across the top of the keeper’s box and smashed a shot past Johnson for a 3-0 lead. “When I got the ball and saw the open net I knew I would bury it” Boone later said of his goal. The Sol defense and keeper Tim Maycock held strong through the rest of the first half and the team headed into halftime confident.

At halftime Sol made a few substitutions, replacing the center-midfielders and putting in goalkeeper Corey Cruz. The game changed in the second half. While Sol still controlled much of the possession, the Fuego no longer sat back and conceded control of the tempo. Fuego’s high-pressure defense forced more turnovers from the Sol and resulted in more chances. The match got more physical as both teams fought hard for every loose ball. Miguel Santoyo and Chris Daly, two of the halftime substitutions, were among those fighting hardest to ensure a Sol victory. “I was just trying to get myself going” Santoyo said of his efforts.

Fuego made many substitutions throughout the second half, seemingly bringing on stronger players as the perfectly placed ball in behind the Sol defense to an onrushing forward. Adam Shields of the Sol caught the Fuego player just as he was shooting and made what seemed like a legal tackle but the referee’s angle from behind the play made it a hard decision and he awarded a penalty kick. Fuego’s Taka stepped up to take the PK, hitting it hard into the upper right corner and past Cruz, bringing the score to 3-1. Shields received a yellow card for dissent after arguing his case with the referee.

The goal re-energized the Fuego for the final ten minutes but their efforts did not take them any closer to catching the Sol. The game ended 3-1, maintaining the incredibly impressive defensive efforts of the Sol whom has a goal against average well under a goal per game. Sol remains the only team without a loss and this victory improves the strong Sonoma County team to an overall record to 7-0-2. With the job done and a game back in Hayward, California in just seventeen hours the Sol has a quick meal and piles back into the team van and the Hurst mobile home for a seven-hour drive home. Head Coach of the Sol Benjamin Ziemer commented on his way to the vans that “the win is satisfying but the most important thing to focus on is getting the team back home and properly prepared for tomorrow’s game.”

The Sol looks to continue its unbeaten streak Sunday against Bay Area Ambassadors at 3:00pm at Hayward’s Chabot College.

(Article by Lee Sandwina)

Trevor Hurst/Photo By Laura Arnold