Stallions’ soccer stunned in loss to Kerman
Fresh off an overtime victory over the Liberty Hawks, the Madera South Stallions allowed three goals in the first 25 minutes to the Kerman Lions in a non-conference loss at Madera South.
Although the Stallions battled back to tie the match, Kerman scored the game-winning goal in the 33rd minute for the 4-3 victory Wednesday evening.
“It was just mental,” head coach Ramon Delgadillo said. “They felt too confident because they beat Liberty. They played flat footed and tried to pick it up.”
April Bitter scored a goal to get the Stallions started and Aliah Avila scored a pair of goals to tie the score before the Lions won it with seven minutes left in the match.
“We didn’t adjust with any players in the second half, but the intensity was better,” Delgadillo said. “We dominated and had the ball most of the time on their side.”
The Lions got on the scoreboard in the 10th minute off a corner kick that was deflected in by a defender or the ball curved into the net. Nonetheless, the Stallions trailed 1-0.
Three minutes later, a Kerman attacker got in front of a Stallion defender on the right and shot inside the far post for the match’s second goal.
A minute later, Madera South goalkeeper Melani Rinder came out for a save on a breakaway.
Madera South tried to get back in the match. Breanna Maciel got a 15-yard shot off from the right in the 19th minute, but it went off the top of the crossbar. Madera South kept possession, but Breanna Velasco shot over the goal. The Stallions kept up the pressure when Avila’s shot in the middle was caught.
However, after the Stallions couldn’t break through, the Lions added to their lead. They got in front of a Stallions’ defender and shot by Rinder at point blank range for a 3-0 lead.
A minute later, Avila got the ball across to Bitter on the left. She shot high on goal over the keeper to put the Stallions on the scoreboard.
A minute later, Andrea Vasquez had a breakaway, but the ball got to the goalkeeper just before she did.
In the second half, Jimena Gutierrez got the ball inside and touched a pass to Vasquez, who shot wide on goal.
The Stallions cut the lead to one, set up by a throw-in from Jasmine Salazar. She found Avila in the middle. Avila settled the ball on the right and shot inside the far post for the goal in the 14th minute.
Less then a minute later, Maciel and Avila executed a give-and-go. Avila got the ball back, jumped over and defender’s foot and shot high on goal. The ball went off the hands of the goalkeeper and into the back of the net to tie the score in the 15th minute.
Both teams battled to get the go-ahead goal. Rinder came out to block a Kerman breakaway shot and Autumn Moreno came back on another Kerman breakaway to clear the ball out.
However, the Lions scored the game-winning goal in the 33rd minute. Kerman sent a corner kick high across the goal. Rinder went up to bat the ball away. The ball fell straight down to the turf and Kerman got a foot on the ball and sent it just over the back line for the 4-3 victory.
