Coyotes girls soccer nets win over Grizzlies

Tyler Takeda/The Madera Tribune

With teammate Adela Alvarez looking on, Madera’s Mia Roberts fires a shot to the back of the net to tie Saturday’s match with the Grizzlies. Roberts later scored the game-winning goal in the second half.

FRESNO — The Madera Coyotes girls soccer team took advantage of some lucky breaks to score a pair of goals in a 2-1 victory over the Central Grizzlis in the CMAC/TRAC Showdown over the weekend at Sunnyside Stadium.

Mia Roberts scored a tying goal in the first half and and added the game winner in the second half to give the County/Metro Athletic Conference a win over the Tri-River Athletic Conference on Saturday.

“It feels good to get a win over a TRAC team,” head coach Cynthia Moreno said. “It’s good to get the win ahead of league. It gives us momentum going forward. We have a big match against Sanger. We have to build that tough mindset and learned how to play under pressure.”

The Coyotes had plenty of chances to take the lead in the first half, but the first goal came from the Grizzlies.

Goalkeeper Jeslyn Daza kept the Grizzlis off the scoreboard in the 14th minute. However, the Coyotes were kept off the scoreboard after a prime opportunity on the counter in the 15th minute.

Roberts got the ball on the right and crossed a pass to Adela Alvarez, whose touch on goal was hit out of bounds. On Alvarez’s corner kick, Sheyla Posos settled the ball and her shot was blocked out of bounds.

Midway though the half, Posos got the ball on the left and sent a ball in front for Atina Piñon in front. She took the ball to the keeper and her shot went wide left.

Two minutes later, Roberts kept the attack on the right side with a through ball. She settled the ball and her shot was caught on a short hop by the Central keeper.

On the counter, Central took the ball to the end line on the right. Central stopped and sent a high shot at a tight angle ongoal. The ball went over Daza’s head inside the far post for the score.

Madera got the equalizer six minutes later. Roberts took the ball to goal on the left. The keeper came out and Roberts sent the ball to the middle for Alvarez. Alvarez ‘s shot on goal was deflected back to Roberts on the right. Roberts sent a shot into the open net inside the far post for the tying goal.

Central had a chance to take the lead in the 32nd minute, but Daza blocked out a crossing pass. Central’s return shot was deflected out of bounds.

Madera had two chances in the first two minutes in the second half. Alvarez fed Roberts in the front. Roberts took the ball to the keeper and her shot was blocked out. Jazzell Ruiz got the rebound and crossed it to Layla Martinez. However, Martinez shot high over the goal.

Adriana Dana kept the goal kick in the Coyote zone and took the ball to goal. Her shot was blocked by the oncoming keeper.

Central got a free kick a minute later near the end line, just outside the keeper’s box on the left. The ball was sent across the goal, but the whistle blew for a Central offsides.

Dana tried to feed Roberts in the eighth minute, but the pass was just long. Then, Dana took the ball to the end line and her shot was blocked and caught by the keeper.

Daza made a save on a ball in front in the 23rd minute and helped the Coyotes counter. Roberts got the ball on the right. Both teams held up for a split second anticipating an offisides whistle that never came. Roberts kept with the play and beat the keeper inside the far post for the 2-1 lead.

Central had a prime opportunity in the 26th minute, but a 25-yard free kick went off the crossbar.

In the final 10 minutes, Anissa Garcia had two shots blocked by the keeper and the Coyotes held tough on defense for a 2-1 victory.