Coyotes preserve tie with Redwood
Wendy Alexander/The Madera Tribune
Madera’s Mia Roberts controls the ball for the Madera Coyotes. She scored Madera’s lone goal in Tuesday’s 1-1 tie with the Redwood Rangers in Memorial Stadium.
After a scoreless first half, the Madera Coyotes got a goal in the second half, but the Redwood Rangers took advantage of an unheard whistle to tie the game late for a 1-1 tie in Memorial Stadium.
Madera’s Mia Roberts took it upon herself to score in the second half. She dribbled down the right side, cut inside and took a shot on goal. The Redwood keeper made the block, but Roberts hit the rebound over the keeper’s head and into the back of the net.
The Rangers came back with a goal off a free kick with less than two minutes left in regulation.
“The girls weren’t ready for it,” head coach Cynthia Moreno said. “The referee called a foul right outside the 18. There was no whistle and caught the players off guard.”
Both teams played to a scoreless overtime for the tie Tuesday afternoon.
“Getting a tie is a big confidence boost,” Moreno said. “It shows the girls the buy-in, trusting each other and working with each other is paying off. We’re taking it one game at a time.”
Both teams had their chances in the first half. Anissa Gonzalez sent a corner in for Madera for Illiana Nolen, but the ball was cleared up.
Madera had a chance to score in the 12th minute. Atiana Piñon got the ball on the left, but her cross was stopped before Roberts could get to it. However, Jazzel Ruiz got to the ball in the middle. She shot on goal, but it was blocked high.
Madera goalkeeper Emily Lopez made a pair of saves to keep the match scoreless in the 13th and 15th minute.
Madera’s next two chances on goal clanged off the crossbar. Piñon and Roberts played give-and-goal with Roberts feeding Piñon for the shot. Her shot went off the crossbar in the 20th minute.
Five minutes later, Gonzalez fired a long shot on goal and it went off the crossbar.
Neither team had a chance on goal in the final 15 minutes of the first half.
