PASADENA — An eight-minute, three-goal scoring flurry from the La Salle High boys' soccer team not only banished the possibility of a scoreless tie, but also ended over 40 minutes of frustration for the Lancers as they defeated host Maranatha, 3-1, in Friday afternoon's intracity private-school rivalry match.
“Good soccer isn’t just about goals, but about creating scoring chances,” La Salle Coach Dan Sheridan said. “We were finally able to put away a few opportunities in the second half and that’s going to help us going forward.”
After missing on 10 shots in the first half, five of which were on goal, La Salle (5-6-2) tallied the match’s first goal in the 42nd minute on a brilliant 20-yard cross from senior halfback Patrick Sullivan into the upper left of the box.
The pass found waiting teammate Matt McDonald, who buried a 12-yard shot far post past diving goalie Jensen Hutto (10 saves) that put La Salle up, 1-0.
“It was big to get that first goal, but we didn’t want to drag this out,” Sullivan said. “The longer the match stayed tied, the longer it would be a dogfight and we didn’t want that with Maranatha.”
Nearly two minutes later, the Lancers scored versus the Minutemen (2-7-2) again, this time when sophomore striker Austin Fajardo-Mathes cleaned up a blocked shot from teammate Briley Venti and scored from four yards out as La Salle led, 2-0.
The Lancers’ final blow came in the 48th minute when Sullivan knocked in a seven-yard shot off a corner kick from junior PJ Siberill to put La Salle up, 3-0.
“I thought we played a good first 40 minutes and good final 20 minutes of the match,” Maranatha Coach Evan Loomis said. “We basically lost in a five-to-10-minute span, which is disappointing. But overall, we played La Salle straight up for most of the game and we’ll build on that.”
Even though the 3-0 hole proved insurmountable, Maranatha continued to battle and scored its own goal in the 76th minute when sophomore Devin Robledo banged in a rebound goal off a shot on a free kick from Ethan Prins.
It seemed as if the post provided a 12th defender for Maranatha in the first half of a scoreless tie, as the Lancers missed on three solid point-blank looks through the first 40 minutes.
The first of such attempts came in the 15th minute when Lancers junior defender Robbie McAlister rerouted a clear-out attempt for a wide-open 15-yard shot from the center of the field that bounced off the inner left cross right to a thankful Hutto.
In the 39th minute, Venti sent a cross from 10 yards that seemed to dance on the crossbar before rolling out of play.
A minute later, freshman Gabe Rodriguez laced a shot from 10 yards that Hutto smartly trapped against the left post for a save.
The stop highlighted a few big saves from the Minutemen, including a big clear-out header from junior Franklin Brian on a cross between Nicola Vinski and Venti in the 34th minute.
“Good soccer isn’t just about goals, but about creating scoring chances,” La Salle Coach Dan Sheridan said. “We were finally able to put away a few opportunities in the second half and that’s going to help us going forward.”
After missing on 10 shots in the first half, five of which were on goal, La Salle (5-6-2) tallied the match’s first goal in the 42nd minute on a brilliant 20-yard cross from senior halfback Patrick Sullivan into the upper left of the box.
The pass found waiting teammate Matt McDonald, who buried a 12-yard shot far post past diving goalie Jensen Hutto (10 saves) that put La Salle up, 1-0.
“It was big to get that first goal, but we didn’t want to drag this out,” Sullivan said. “The longer the match stayed tied, the longer it would be a dogfight and we didn’t want that with Maranatha.”
Nearly two minutes later, the Lancers scored versus the Minutemen (2-7-2) again, this time when sophomore striker Austin Fajardo-Mathes cleaned up a blocked shot from teammate Briley Venti and scored from four yards out as La Salle led, 2-0.
The Lancers’ final blow came in the 48th minute when Sullivan knocked in a seven-yard shot off a corner kick from junior PJ Siberill to put La Salle up, 3-0.
“I thought we played a good first 40 minutes and good final 20 minutes of the match,” Maranatha Coach Evan Loomis said. “We basically lost in a five-to-10-minute span, which is disappointing. But overall, we played La Salle straight up for most of the game and we’ll build on that.”
Even though the 3-0 hole proved insurmountable, Maranatha continued to battle and scored its own goal in the 76th minute when sophomore Devin Robledo banged in a rebound goal off a shot on a free kick from Ethan Prins.
It seemed as if the post provided a 12th defender for Maranatha in the first half of a scoreless tie, as the Lancers missed on three solid point-blank looks through the first 40 minutes.
The first of such attempts came in the 15th minute when Lancers junior defender Robbie McAlister rerouted a clear-out attempt for a wide-open 15-yard shot from the center of the field that bounced off the inner left cross right to a thankful Hutto.
In the 39th minute, Venti sent a cross from 10 yards that seemed to dance on the crossbar before rolling out of play.
A minute later, freshman Gabe Rodriguez laced a shot from 10 yards that Hutto smartly trapped against the left post for a save.
The stop highlighted a few big saves from the Minutemen, including a big clear-out header from junior Franklin Brian on a cross between Nicola Vinski and Venti in the 34th minute.
